To Eyes of Magic, To Soul of Fire and Ice, To You I Fly
by mmcnmb1
Summary: Todoroki spreads his wings, feeling the breeze whip around them as he crouches. Turning to Midoriya, he offers what he hopes is a reassuring smile. "Ready to fly?" "M-maybe." Midoriya gulps, wrapping his arms around the spike he is sitting behind. "If you fall, I'll catch you." Todoroki assures him, one wing coming up to pat Midoriya's head. "I know." Midoriya mutters.
1. Leave As If Fire Burns Under Your Feet

**This is my pet project I have spent the past 2 months working on, because I love dragons and I love Tododeku, and I have little self-control.**

 **This is a fantasy au, but more of a modern fantasy au. They don't have electricity, but in terms of language and ideas they're more on par with society today, mostly because i can't write in old timey language to save my life. There are a variety of races, most of which aren't being touched on until later chapters. Most of them have their own kingdoms while some share territory.**

 **Before you read, just know that this is set up more like a conjunction of different moments rather than a coherent flow. They are the same age though, from start to finish.**

 **Also the next chapter probably won't be out for at least a month or two. Enjoy suffering!**

* * *

When Shouto first meets him, it's at the young age of 10.

He should not have even gotten a visitor, that was the purpose of the spells placed around the mountain. His father doesn't want him to see anybody, especially some human.

Still, he feels his scales bristle as a voice calls from outside the cave.

"Hello?" The voice is small, sounding almost as young as Shouto is.

Shouto knows what he needs to do. Slink back into the farthest corners of the cave, ignore the small child, and await his father's inevitable return. His father doesn't want Shouto to be associated with humans. Humans are weak, humans are greedy, all humans do is destroy; that is the mantra forever burned in his mind and onto his skin.

"Hello." His low growl is already ringing out from the dark recesses of the cave before he can stop himself. He freezes, ice trickling out of his right side instinctively as his claws curl into the stone beneath him, because that had been a mistake. He knows there are protective spells around the entrance of the cave, ones that are more meant to keep him inside than anything, but also ones that would keep the human out if they tried to get closer. Fear still creeps through him though, especially with the thought of how his father would react if he knew a human had found their way here.

"I'm Midoriya! Who're you?" The voice calls out once more, and Shouto finds himself shrinking back, away from the strange child.

The caves run deep, and the back caverns are lit by a soft blue glow created by the energized crystals that are embedded into the walls. He rests himself in one of the farthest caverns, his tail curling around his body for comfort. The spikes resting on it brush against his chest as he pulls his tail even tighter around him. He is resolved to ignore the human now, because when his father came back, he would know that Shouto had broken one of his biggest rules, and then he would be punished for it, badly.

He keeps his ears- or rather, the slits right below his horns perked, listening intently for when the boy would leave.

Instead, he hears a small thump as the boy sits down outside, calling out, "You don't have to talk to me, I have to go home soon anyway. I just was running from Kacchan, he was being mean again."

Shouto's eyes widen as the boy continues to ramble, paying no mind that he wasn't getting a response. It's weird, Shouto decides, this human is weird. Not even other dragons talk to him like this, whenever he meets them, either because he's training or he ignores them. He doesn't want to most of the time, because his father says that a member of the Todoroki lineage mustn't talk to dragons beneath their status, and his training had been twice as bad whenever he broke that rule. Most dragons leave him alone after they realize he won't talk back, but this human is still here, talking just as loudly and brightly as he had for the past few minutes.

Slowly, Shouto lets his body uncurl, making sure his claws don't scratch the ground as he takes a step forward, then another, then another, closer and closer to the entrance, and the human.

Shouto doesn't leave the shadows of the cave, still too scared to show his face in case his father found out, but he does creep close enough so he can see the boy.

He pauses when he sees the boy, breathless as something deep within him stirs itself awake. It's huge, massive, and when it brushes against him, he feels a rush of something ancient and raw with power.

The voice inside him growls, urging him to go near the boy, and he nearly does, until he remembers just exactly the voice is telling him to go to.

Shouto wants to listen to it, but he knows better by now. The voice insists, its buzz prickling in Shouto's scales. The feeling is unpleasant, but he can force it down far enough to ignore it.

Now that he can get a good look at the human, he takes his time to consider the boy. He's small, much smaller than any dragon, but that is to be expected. His hair is almost black, although there is a green edge to it whenever the sun hits it just right. He can't tell much else about the boy though, since only a tiny part of him is visible around the cave wall, where the boy sits propped next to the entrance.

What Shouto can see however, is the way that the boy's hands move, emphasizing every word he's says. Shouto can hear the rise and fall of the boy's voice as he moves from subject to subject. Something in him rumbles angrily when Shouto notices the pain in the boy's voice whenever "Kacchan" is brought up. Surprisingly, he finds himself agreeing with it. It baffles him to think that a human with a voice as bright as this could ever be disliked.

Before Shouto even realizes it, the sun is touching the horizon, painting the sky with a variety of reds and oranges. The boy is still talking though, none of his enthusiasm lost in the process.

"Oh! It's almost dark. I gotta go home soon or else my mom will be worried." The boy stands up suddenly, making Shouto flinch backwards. Standing just outside the entrance, the boy flashes a blinding smile, cheerily asking. "See you tomorrow?"

Whatever has been awoken in Shouto leaks out and stretches towards the boy. Shouto pulls it back once more, answering its plea with an almost silent rumble. Shouto is determined to stay quiet, maybe then the boy will leave and Shouto will be left on his own again, where the boy can't be hurt by him or his father.

"Sure." His own voice betrays him yet again, speaking before he could reign it in.

"Okay!" Shouto wants to be mad, he wants to growl at this boy and tell him never to come back. But as the boy flashes him another smile, all Shouto can think about how bright it is compared to the darkness he is accustomed to.

The boy is gone now, running down the mountainside and disappearing into the trees, leaving Shouto alone with his thoughts. The voice inside him has quieted down, no longer looming quite as large, and Shouto is grateful for it.

He spends a long part of the night awake, thinking about the strange boy, the first human he had seen since, since… for a while.

He only starts to really worry when he realizes that he wouldn't mind seeing the boy again.

* * *

The boy comes back, to Shouto's surprise. The boy greets the cave- Shouto is hiding in the back again- with just as much enthusiasm as he had yesterday.

Like before, Shouto finds himself edging closer and closer to the entrance as the day continues on. The boy is sitting much like he had yesterday, so Shouto couldn't see too much of him, but there is an air of positivity around him and his words. It draws Shouto in, and even though he has to deal with his rampant instincts, it's just as nice as the day before, if not more so.

The boy leaves earlier than he had yesterday, but Shouto makes sure to whisper a goodbye, just loud enough for the boy to hear. His call is rewarded by another beaming smile, one that is even brighter than the one in Shouto's memories.

That night, Shouto remembers what he had been taught about humans, and thinks, really thinks about his father's words. Some humans could make bad choices, the raw, near numb, skin around his left eye proves that. But he knows the truth, the one that his father tries to constantly deny or push away.

Shouto knows why his mother scarred him, and Shouto knows that sometimes, dragons are far worse than humans could ever be.

Shouto resolves himself to give the bo- Midoriya a proper conversation the next time they meet.

* * *

His father arrives home that same night, growling and spitting in rage. His flames burn bright, and Shouto does his best to stay far away from him. His father isn't one to abandon his little project though, and Shouto is found out soon enough.

His father is almost too big for the cave, his massive, crimson scaled form nearly brushing the ceiling. His father's head is massive, full of muscle just like the rest of him. Small, sharp, ice blue eyes scan around with uncaring motions. His father has two large horns on the top of his head, like Shouto's, but instead of the sleek, curved silver-like material that composes Shouto's horns, his father's horns simply emit fire. There are also smaller horns on the side and underside of his father's jaw, his cheeks, above his eyes, and tracing the underside of his cheek.

Shouto can see the razor-sharp claws from his spot in the back of one of the cave's tunnels, attached to giant paws at the end of equally muscular, but short legs. Small horns are attached to the sides of his paws as well, as well as at the end of his tail, which flicks back and forth in quiet contempt.

"Shouto." His father snarls, his jaws closing over Shouto's midsection to pick him up. "We need to train."

Shouto wants to tell his father that his teeth hurt, that Shouto can feel his scales heating up to a near painful level, but Shouto knows what that will bring him, a rant and more training, so he stays quiet. He nods in time to his father's words, not really listening to them. Because in the end, his father is only ever focused on one thing and one thing only, power.

Sure, his father is hailed as the 'savior of dragonkind' the one who had ended the war between humans and dragons over a century ago. Even most humans like him, since now he goes out and helps on some of their quests. But what his father really craves is the attention he receives because of it, the knowledge that you could say the name of his alias, Endeavor, to any being, and they would know immediately who you were talking about. His father basks in the knowledge that he is known as the strongest dragon, and that almost no other being, from human to fae could best him.

Shouto knows what his father hates too, and what he is ranting about now in his pre-training monologue is a subject that Shouto has heard only too much about.

All Might, mankind's savior. The most powerful mage in the land, and the only being who had ever won against his father. Rumors say that All Might wields a kind of magic no other human had, one that could overpower anything, even a dragon.

Well, that's what Shouto is for, in his father's eyes. Shouto is a tool, a weapon to be forged, a vessel for his father's unending desire to beat All Might.

"Now, Shouto," His father's voice snaps Shouto out of his thoughts, bringing him back to the cliff they sat on, a common spot for flight training. "You need to better your flight skills. I'll give you 10 seconds to steady yourself before we start."

That's all the prompting Shouto will get, so wordlessly, he spreads his wings and leaps off the cliff. His wings aren't quite strong enough for a direct takeoff yet, but they're enough to carry him in the air, and that's all his father needs.

The night wind cuts through his scales, sending a shiver wracking through his body. He pushes through the cold and starts to pump his wings furiously, maneuvering himself so he could see his father.

Wasting no time, as soon as the seconds are over with, his father opens his mouth and sends a relatively small fireball aiming directly for Shouto's head.

Shouto nearly loses a wing to the fireball about as big as he is, but he's still flying soundly enough, so his father fires another fireball. This time, Shouto singes his front claws on it. In the next, the tip of his tail is caught. The one after, the base of his horns starts to burn.

Then his father decides it's a good time to up the stakes, even when Shouto is already more hovering than flying, his wings only moving when they must. With a deep breath, a full-on jettison of flames roars towards Shouto, and he only just manages to twist out of its way.

As he's forced to dodge another column of flames, Shouto faintly remembers how by now, his mother might have been yelling at them from the ground by now, trying in vain to make his father stop.

His mother isn't here now though, so the aerial training continues until Shouto plummets to the ground as a way of dodging.

"Get up. You won't have time to fall in a real fight." His father shouts down to Shouto's collapsed and shivering form. Shouto knows all too well what directly resisting an order will bring upon him, so he drags himself to his feet and tries to shake away his exhaustion. His wings burn, and not just from the fire. Shouto creates an ice platform for him to stand on before jumping off it and flapping his wings.

Every breath he takes pushes against his chest as he heaves upwards, and by the time he is in the air once more, he's gasping for air.

"Too slow." His father snarls. "You think you can beat anything like that? I'm surprised you can even hunt."

Shouto doesn't even get the opportunity to respond before two fireballs are hurtling at him. He yelps when his tail is engulfed by one of them.

"That is nothing Shouto. A dragon knows how to endure any pain." His father roars, and Shouto swallows back his cries, focusing instead on icing over his tail before his father could strike again. He's only a third of the way done when the next fireball comes. Its larger than the first two, and Shouto knows another isn't far behind. He manages to duck under this one, although his back feels as if its blistering from the heat.

"Concentrate on your wings." His father reprimands him sharply, smoke pouring from his nostrils. "Push with your shoulders, not with the arm of them. Or else you'll never be able to dodge anything."

With that small tidbit of advice, Shouto is left facing another full-blown blast of flames. He tries to follow his father's instructions, concentrating on the shoulder area of his wings, but he's distracted, and far too slow. The flames hit his stomach, and he is left limp with agony, lurching to the ground once more. On his way down, his vision flickers, becoming hazy with pain. He thinks his scales are steaming, but it's hard to tell between the dim lighting and his miniature blackout.

He hits the ground hard, coughing up the meager remains of his stomach right afterwards. He rolls over onto his back, half delirious with pain, in some effort to cool his scales. The scales on his underside are much softer than the rest of his scales, and they haven't gotten the chance to completely harden yet; that would only come in the next couple of years.

"Pathetic." Shouto only half-hears his father, focusing more on why it has suddenly gotten hot on his right side and how he can make the heat go away without moving. "Get up, we might as well practice with your elements now."

Shouto makes the mistake of whimpering in protest, and by the time he realizes his mistake, his father has already slammed a foot down, trapping Shouto underneath his front claws. Heat licks at Shouto's face as he wriggles, trying to somehow get out of the makeshift prison. It's useless though, his father has put down enough weight to ensure Shouto can only move his head at best.

"I'll do you a favor Shouto. We can do pain tolerance training instead of element training." His father hisses, sparks flying from where his teeth clashed together. "You don't even have to move."

And with that, the heat that has been licking at Shouto's face turns to blistering, and he screams in pain. As always, his cries of pain only make the heat turn more intense, until all he can feel is the burning.

Eventually, his body decides to give him a mercy, his vision fading to black, the pain going with it.

When Shouto awakens, it's to his father's grumble.

"Finally. Now I can get back to doing my job. This should be an easy mission though, so I'll be back tonight for training. Understand?"

Shouto nods his head, his whole body protesting the motion.

"I've weakened the barrier. I would hunt if I were you." His father notes before turning tail and stalking out of the cave. Shouto both hears and feels the rush of wind that accompanies his father's downstrokes, the wind bites at him, and he curls up tighter in a foolish attempt to hide away from the pain. The action only makes his muscles and skin scream at him though, and regret seeps through him.

A part of him hoped Midoriya wouldn't come today. Midoriya doesn't deserve the pitiful amount of conversation Shouto would be able to offer him today. Free to express his pain without his father's presence, Shouto whimpers and wines as he actives his ice, layering over the areas where it hurt the most. It numbs him enough for him to slip back into a dreamless sleep, his eyes flickering shut with a pained sigh.

When he awakes the second time, it to a much more cheerful voice.

"Hello? Are you there? It's Midoriya again." Shouto shakes his head to make sure he isn't just imagining the voice, a gentle, warm feeling settling in his chest when he realizes that the voice is in fact, very real.

"Hello." Shouto's voice is raspy, laced with barely disguised soreness.

"Are you okay? You sound hurt."

"I'm f-" Shouto groans, his breath shuddering against his sides. "Fine. I'm fine."

"Do you need anything? What hurts?" Midoriya asks, and Shouto can see the way he fidgets just outside the cave entrance. Midoriya stays just outside, and Shouto's stubbornness is spreading thin.

"Burns. All over." Shouto states, grimacing when he hears Midoriya's horrified gasp.

"You- I- all over? Just stay there, I'll be back."

Shouto hums. He hopes Midoriya comes back, but honestly, it wouldn't surprise him if the boy just decides to run back home.

Shouto isn't sure how much time has passed when he hears tiny footsteps pelting their way nearer to the cave entrance.

"I'm back." A breathless but cheery Midoriya calls. "I have plants that help with burns. My mom showed me what they look like a while ago. All you gotta do is chew them up and put them where it hurts. It works really well."

Shouto doesn't have time to question just how Midoriya knows the usefulness of burn soothing plants, nor if the plants would work on scales at all. "Could you throw them in here where I can reach them? I don't want you to see me."

Shouto hates how Midoriya looks disappointed when he tosses the leaves inside. "Be careful though, the plants taste yucky."

Shouto might have smiled at the way Midoriya scrunched up his nose, as if even the mention of the taste is enough to disgust him, if he hadn't been forcing himself to his feet, his shaky legs threatening collapse. He unceremoniously flops down just out of Midoriya's eyesight, reaching out a forehand to scoop the plants closer to him.

"I'm sorry. I'm just not that pretty to look at. I don't want to scare you." Shouto tries to placate the disappointment that had crossed Midoriya's face, and is rewarded with a smile.

"That's okay. I'm sure you wouldn't scare me." Midoriya assures him, and Shouto smiles. As if. The races may have peaceful interactions now, but humans are well known in every kingdom for being mostly scared and judgmental of anything that isn't like them.

"Are you sure?" Shouto grunts, bitterness flooding over his tongue as he chews the plants. Midoriya had been right about the bad taste.

"It's just about how nice you are. That's what my mom says, and All Might too!" Shouto winces at the mention of All Might, echoes of his father's rages blossoming in his mind.

"All Might." Shouto repeats, regret and memories lacing his voice.

"Yeah! He's the best wizard!" Midoriya gives a little cheer, and Shouto smiles as he rubs the plant remains over his scales. The affect is immediate, and Shouto can feel himself sink into the ground with relief. "I'm gonna save people just like him when I'm older."

"Your magic must be strong then." Shouto comments, and Midoriya only chuckles weakly. Shouto narrows his eyes, because that reaction screams at there being something that Midoriya isn't telling him, but Shouto lets it go. Midoriya will tell him if he wants to. They haven't even known each other for a week yet, Shouto can't be unreasonable.

Midoriya sits again, and the two pick up where the conversation had left off yesterday. Although this time, it isn't just Midoriya ranting. Shouto tries his hardest to insert the appropriate comments and responses. More often than not, Shouto can't think of anything to add, but he's a little proud of himself anyways.

They say their goodbyes early today, Midoriya having to do something with his mother. Shouto doesn't mind though, because he really does need to get some food in his stomach before his father gets back. Puking at least feels better when there is something in his stomach to puke.

His body still stings when he stands up, but the plants Midoriya gave him have worked miracles. Shouto will have to ask what exactly they were when Midoriya came back tomorrow.

He half slides, half climbs down the hill, following the well-worn trail instead of flying. His wings hang loosely at his sides, and he only wants to move them if he has to.

Hunting itself isn't that hard, not with his ice. The first unsuspecting fawn he comes across is frozen before it can do much but cry in fear. He hates it though, because he's forced to use his fire to thaw it.

He tries his hardest to avoid his fire, only using it for things like this, or whenever it sparks in a meager attempt at saving himself from his father. His father hasn't noticed it yet, the growing scarcity of Shouto's fire, and Shouto hopes he never will, that Shouto's rebellion will go unnoticed.

Shouto knows it won't though, so he'll revel in his secrecy while he can.

Once the dear is mostly gone, Shouto trudges back to the cave, following the cleverly hidden magical markers that show the real path to the cave. There are too many decoy and detour trails in that forest for Shouto to count, but his father would spare no expense for his future weapon.

Shouto collapses on the ground as soon as he's in the cave. He might as well try and rest before his father returns.

At least Midoriya would be coming by tomorrow.

* * *

Shouto's reveal happens mostly by chance.

He's out in the woods hunting, his father having left for the afternoon. He enjoys being in the forest, it's quiet, peaceful, and it lets him feel like he's free from his father's molten grip.

But of course, he really isn't, so he takes his time as he strolls through the woods. The sun warms his scales, and he hangs his small wings out to try and catch more of its rays.

He is lost in thought when he hears it, a sniffle. It's barely audible over the sounds of the forest, but he recognizes the voice instantly.

It has to be Midoriya, no one else has ever made it this far past the enchantments. Shouto still has no idea why only Midoriya can navigate the maze of complex spells that his father had made to confuse even the best of fae.

Shouto's pace picks up, although he still treads as silently as possible. He really doesn't want Midoriya to see him yet. If anything, Shouto would like to keep his friend for as long as he could.

It doesn't take Shouto long to center in on the noise, and soon he is looking out on Midoriya from the cover of a multitude of dense bushes. For once, Shouto is grateful for his small size.

"Midoriya?" Shouto calls out softly, feeling guilty as Midoriya jumps.

Now that Shouto can see Midoriya's face, the guilt is replaced by sympathy and a quiet anger.

Midoriya is still crying, his eyes puffy and lips swollen. But one of his eyes is surrounded by an ugly mix of purple and blue. His cheek is swelled up, red and raw, with singe marks around the edge. Some of his hair is frayed, the edges black and twisted.

"To-Todoroki?" Midoriya wiped his eyes, trying to hide his tears even after he winced as his forearm touched his bruised eye. "W-what are you doing here?"

"I was hunting, and then I heard you." Shouto kept careful watch as Midoriya stood on shaky legs, a hand pressed against the tree he has been sitting against for the past few moments.

"I'm sorry." Midoriya pauses, blinking rapidly as his grip on the tree tightens. "I d-distracted you."

"Why? You haven't done anything wrong." Shouto tenses as Midoriya takes his hand off the tree.

"But I didn't mean to-" Midoriya is pitching forward now, and Shouto moves on instinct alone.

Too late, Shouto realizes what he's done. Midoriya is draped over his neck, and suddenly Shouto can feel everything.

The cool touch of Midoriya's skin against his scales. The way the fabric of Midoriya's clothing rustles with the breeze. The gentle exhale of breath puffing against the ridge of small spines running down the center of his neck. The faint itch as Midoriya's hair ghosts over his scales. His wing reaches up to wrap around Midoriya, and its pink membrane tingles at the new sensation.

In an instant though, every touch of skin against scales feels like it's burning, and Shouto is preparing for some inevitable backlash of pain that he logically knows will never come from someone like Midoriya. But still, Shouto can't deal with something this warm yet so gentle, because the scorching wrath of flames and teeth is all he can remember feeling for years now.

He carefully sets Midoriya on the ground, even if Shouto is panicking, that doesn't give him the right to accidentally injure Midoriya more.

With Midoriya resting halfway peacefully in the grass though, Shouto is left staring dumbly, wondering what someone does to help heal human injuries. His father says that a dragon should be able to fight through any sort of pain, but that isn't true- Shouto knows- and even if it is, Shouto doesn't think that it's something you can apple to humans.

But he can remember icing over his pains, and that always soothes him. So delicately, he uses his magic to ice over the tip of his tail, then slowly lowers the limb to rest just above Midoriya's swollen eye. He does the same with a claw, this time letting it hover over Midoriya's swollen cheek. Shouto would let the ice touch Midoriya, but he can remember hearing somewhere that humans were very weak to sudden temperature changes, although not as much as most dragons.

While he does that, he also checks to see if Midoriya is injured anywhere else. Gladly, Shouto discovers that Midoriya's clothes are only blackened in some places, with no other burns or bruises visible.

It doesn't take long for Midoriya to shakily blink his eyes open again though, and Shouto immediately draws his tail and claws away, lowing his head in shame. This is it for him. Midoriya will see exactly what Shouto is and run or get angry, just like almost everyone else.

"Todoroki." Here it comes. Shouto draws his wings in tight, his tail curling around his claws. "You're a dragon!?" Shouto freezes, making sure he hasn't misheard the excitement, the joy, and the lack of fear in Midoriya's voice.

"That's so cool!" Midoriya beams at him like he hadn't just collapsed, although he does flinch slightly, fingers ghosting over his injured cheek.

"Be careful." Shouto warns, swallowing back the wave of relief so strong it makes his eyes water. It's easier to focus on Midoriya's incorrect assumption more than anything else, so Shouto does. "But I'm not a dragon. Just dragonkin."

"Dragonkin?" Midoriya asks, propping himself to a sitting position.

"Half-dragon." Shouto explains, teeth unconsciously gritted. "Half-human."

"I didn't know that was possible!" Midoriya's exclamation nearly makes Shouto jump out of his scales, only years of training keeping his expression neutral.

Midoriya leans in closer, his eyes shining. "So, you can turn into a human, right? Probably easier than most dragons. Does your magic work like human magic or dragon magic? Do your scales shed? How tall are you as a person? Which one of your parents are human?"

Shouto growls at the mention of parents, his mind flashing back to blood red scales, rivulets of fire and lava, piercing gray eyes, and a horrified whisper of "I can't stand to look at him sometimes." He regrets it as Midoriya deflates, his bright smile fading into a guilty frown.

"Sorry Todoroki." Midoriya's voice is small now, his face downcast. "I know I ask too many questions. Kacchan doesn't like it either."

"It's fine." Shouto reassures him. "Just please, let's not talk about parents."

"Okay." Midoriya agrees without hesitation, his smile returning, even if it does have a worried tint to it.

"Do you feel better?" Shouto asks, desperate for a change of subject.

"Oh, yeah." Midoriya puts a hand up to his cheek, sighing. "My cheek feels a lot better. That was you, right?"

Shouto reveals his tail, the tip still encased in ice, and deadpans, "No."

Midoriya gives something that's halfway between a snort and a chuckle. Shouto adds his own amused huff to the comforting sound. It's not long before Midoriya finds his focus again though.

"Your scales are so pretty too. The white and red look really nice. Is ice your element?"

"Sort of." Shouto looks away from Midoriya's eager eyes, a little embarrassed by Midoriya's blatant compliments. "I have a dual element of ice and fire." Shouto decides that revealing the truth is worth it the moment Midoriya face lights up.

"You have two elements?" Midoriya's hands are tapping on the ground, a staccato rhythm as they drift back and forth. "All the books say that dragons are only supposed to have one element. And that's just the perfect combination too. You have a solution to nearly any attack. That's amazing!"

"Not really." Shouto dismisses Midoriya's praise swiftly. He isn't deserving of it, not for something that is as tainted as his magic. "Humans are much better. You can use magic in any way you want, as long as you have the right runes."

Something pained passes over Midoriya's face, and Shouto wonders what he said wrong. Midoriya starts talking before Shouto can say anything, his voice trembling. "I don't know, not every human can use make. But dragons don't have that problem. You know that dragons absorb magic from their environment while they're still in their eggs? It's something that only dragons do and it's why they even have elements."

Shouto doesn't mind Midoriya falling back into a ramble, but he's still curious about Midoriya's previous expression. Shouto also doesn't like to push, so instead he nods along in time to Midoriya's words. As Midoriya continues, Shouto's awe grows. Midoriya still hasn't mentioned his scar, even when the question has to be lingering in Midoriya's mind. The fact that Midoriya seems blissfully uncaring of what Shouto is also helps to fill Shouto with warmth.

It comes eventually though, it's inevitable, and Midoriya pauses beforehand, his eyes flickering between Shouto's face and the ground.

"I, um, I'm sorry if this sounds mean but-" Midoriya draws in a breath. "how did you get your scar?"

Even when he'd been expecting it, the question makes Shouto freeze, figuratively and physically, as ice pricks outwards from his right side.

"I know it's rude, you don't have to answer if you don't want to. My mom says you shouldn't ask about what anyone looks like."

"It's f-"

"Does it hurt?" Midoriya's question cuts over Shouto's automatic reassurance. Shouto is taken aback once more, but in a good way this time. Nobody has ever bothered to ask him that. All they want is to learn the 'cool story' behind it, or gush over how awesome it looks, or whisper how he would look better without it. Shouto can do without a patch of scale-less skin spreading out to cover most of the left side of his face, ending just below his horn and not quite reaching his jaw. He can't do anything about it though, besides for looking at his reflection and wishing things were different.

He doesn't know how to respond to Midoriya's question in words, so he simply shakes his head.

"That's good then." Midoriya sighs, moving to lay beside Shouto, back pressed against the swaying grass.

"How did you get your injuries?" Shouto asks, and Midoriya tenses.

"Oh- t-those were from Kacchan and his friends." Midoriya's voice shakes, and something in Shouto goes dark.

"Again?" Shouto half snarls, and he's practically burning holes into the grass with his eyes alone. "Can't you avoid them? Or fight back?"

"Me and Kacchan are neighbors." Midoriya admits, looking as if he wishes he could somehow sink into the grass below. "It's hard to fight him. They all have magic and I don't."

"Then why doesn't anybody else step in? Aren't humans supposed to want to keep their children safe?" Todoroki's outrage is growing, and his claws make indents in the dirt as they curl.

"It's not their fault- they just, they just- it's not their fault I'm useless." Midoriya mumbles.

"Useless? Who would ever-"

"I-I can't even use runes, I can't do anything with magic." Midoriya sniffles, and Shouto shifts closer. "But I'm gonna find a way to join a guild. I'm gonna be a wizard like All Might and help save people."

Midoriya's eyes shine with a new determination, and Shouto can't help but believe his optimism. Even if Shouto still wants to claw all of those useless humans who ever made Midoriya feel worthless.

"What's so wrong with not having magic then? With a goal like that." Midoriya gapes at Shouto, his expression mirroring a fish's. "You can save plenty of people on your own. Magic doesn't make you better than anything else."

"Yes, it does." Midoriya counters. "To join a guild, you have to pass a magic test. I looked it up at the library. Mom says they're looking to change it, so that might be good. Magic makes you stronger though, stronger than anyone without it."

"Stronger doesn't make you better." Shouto growls. "Anyone who thinks so is an idiot."

"I know." Midoriya says softly. "But still."

"But nothing. All you have to do is work harder." Shouto gives a slight grin. "I'm sure you can make it."

"Really?"

"Of course." Shouto looks over to Midoriya, and flinches when he sees that the boy is crying. "Are you okay?"

"N-no one's e-ever said that to me." Midoriya whispers through his tears, and Shouto's chest clenches in empathy.

"They should have." Shouto retorts, and relaxes when Midoriya smiles through the tears.

After that, their conversation shifts to lighter subjects. Shouto learns about Midoriya's town, and Midoriya learns about the dragon lands in return. Sure, they're more of a memory than anything else, considering him and his father have lived out here ever since Shouto had gotten his scar, but he still knows plenty from his father's rants.

They talk until the sun is nearly gone, but Shouto only notices when the nighttime bugs start chirping.

"I need to go; my father will be expecting me." Shouto admits with regret, rising to his feet.

"That's okay. Do you mind if I come by tomorrow?" Midoriya joins Shouto in standing, stretching back.

Shouto almost agrees instantly, then he remembers that his father doesn't have any missions tomorrow. "You can't come to the cave. But I might be able to slip out around midday. Do you have anywhere we could meet in the forest?"

"Do you know where the big tree is?" Midoriya asks, and Shouto shakes his head. "It's this really big tree, I'm pretty sure it's a near extinct species, but it has these orange flowers on its branches. I think they might be more of an orangish-yellow, but they stay like that all year. I think it's natural, but the tree might also be a natural magic container. It would explain the leaves. Honestly…"

Midoriya drifts off, and Shouto pauses, pulling his wings back in from where they had been stretching. Midoriya's eyes have frozen on Shouto, and he almost appeared lost in thought.

"Midoriya?" Shouto's voice snaps Midoriya out of whatever trance he had been in. Midoriya jumps, his cheeks suddenly bursting into red.

"I, uh, sorry. I just…" Midoriya sighs. "I don't know, it was weird."

"You're fine. But is your face alright? It's red." Shouto's comments only serve to darken Midoriya's cheeks, and Shouto can't figure out why for the life of him.

"I'm fine. I'm probably just blushing. Humans do that when they're embarrassed." Midoriya blurts out quickly.

"Strange. What do you have to be embarrassed about?" Shouto shakes, getting the last traces of numbness out from his nerves.

"I got distracted." Midoriya mumbles, turning away from Shouto.

"That's fine. Why don't we find the tree?" Shouto comes to stand by Midoriya's side, his wing a fingertip away from Midoriya's arm, but still not touching.

"Yes! Let's do that. That sounds fun, right? And it'll be a good place to meet up. Which is good. It's closer than your cave is." Midoriya rambles under his breath as they walk, Shouto following just beside him.

When Midoriya finally presents the tree to him, Shouto has to take a step back, so awestruck by the sheer size. The tree's trunk was thicker around that Shouto was, and its branches reached so far up Shouto had to crane his neck to even get a glimpse of the uppermost layer. Midoriya had been right about the leaves, shimmering a vibrant orange against the plain normalcy of the green trees around it.

Shouto wonders how he had never taken note of it before, and how something so large had lasted so long with his father nearby.

"It's beautiful." Shouto says to an awaiting Midoriya, and the boy grins.

"Isn't it?" Midoriya agrees. "Do you think you can remember where it is?"

"I should." Shouto reassures Midoriya. "Can you meet here midday tomorrow?"

Yep. See you then!" Midoriya flashes Shouto one more smile before running back towards his town. Shouto begins his own walk, which quickly turns into a run as he spots his father's form in the distance.

* * *

Him and Midoriya make memory after memory wandering in the forest together. Any chance he gets, Shouto sets up their meetings at the tree. He has never been happier for his father's erratic missions, often leaving him away from home for days at a time. Of course, that also meant his father is home for long stretches of time but that's something Shouto can deal with when it actually happens. He doesn't want to have to think about living up to his father's name, and with Midoriya, he doesn't have to.

For the first time in his life, because of Midoriya, Shouto feels like an actual being instead of just a smaller extension of his father.

And how Shouto revels in it. He spends as much time with Midoriya as the world around him allows. They talk for hours in small clearings. Midoriya shows him all the small wonders that Shouto had overlooked before. Shouto has fun trying to fly with Midoriya in his claws, even if it had taken a few weeks of prodding from Midoriya's side. Shouto teaches Midoriya how to hunt silently. Midoriya tells him about human life. Shouto does the same about dragons, and whatever other creatures he can remember seeing with his father.

Midoriya is the sun, and Shouto a soul who has been trapped in the darkness. Midoriya shows him the world in a way Shouto couldn't even imagine. Midoriya, who is clumsy, brilliantly smart, straightforward, and kinder than Shouto can even begin to fathom, somehow manages to make Shouto realize something else every time they meet.

"Can I touch it?" Midoriya asks one day, sitting in a low branch of an ancient willow tree. Shouto is crouched above him, neck dipping down so his head can sit near Midoriya's.

"What?" Shouto returns, because he can't really think of anything that Midoriya would need to ask to touch.

"Your scar." Midoriya states, staring down at his fidgeting hands.

"I- I-" Shouto draws his head back on instinct, his scar tingling like Midoriya had already touched it. "-why would you want to?"

"I don't know, that was weird, sorry." Midoriya says, ducking his head in shame.

Shouto exhales, frost outlining his breath. "I trust you, but… just- not the scar, please."

"Okay." Midoriya smiles softly. "I won't mention it again, I promise."

"Can you keep that promise?" Shouto teases, lowering his head back down. "You always like to ask about things that shouldn't bother you."

"R-really?" Midoriya startles, looking like Shouto had just accused him of some wrongdoing. "It can't be all the time, right? It bothers you, doesn't it- of course it doe-"

"I was just saying it Midoriya." Shouto interrupts quietly. "It's not a bother, it's just what makes you, you."

"That's good." Midoriya breathes with a smile, and they go back to what they had been originally doing, staring at the tiny tree sprites that float around them. Basking the two of them in an ethereal glow of flickering lights.

* * *

"How do thumbs work?" Shouto asks seemingly out of nowhere. The two of them are in the middle of a small flower field, and Shouto is watching as Midoriya meticulously weaves the stems of the flowers into a flower crown. Apparently Midoriya is trying to make one that will fit Shouto's head, but all Shouto has been able to focus on is the way Midoriya's hands mold the flowers with an ease Shouto could never have with his claws.

"Thumbs?" Midoriya pauses in his task, twisting back to look at Shouto. "They're kind of like my other fingers," Midoriya hold up a hand, waggling his finger for effect. "except they're on the side so they can touch my other fingers and pick up stuff. It makes it easier to work with little things, and it also helps you hold things up. They only bend in one place too, even though the rest of my fingers bend in two places."

Shouto hums, satisfied enough to lay his head in the grass and return to watching Midoriya.

Midoriya eventually does finish the flower crown; it rests snugly over Shouto's horns. And even when it dips over his eyes and Midoriya laughs, Shouto decides he'll treasure the gift as best he can.

It doesn't last long, with his father, but Midoriya is happy to make another one.

* * *

"Why do you rub against trees?" Midoriya absentmindedly asks, making Shouto lean away from the tree he had just been scratching himself on.

"It feels good. My scales get itchy." Shouto responds simply, going back to assaulting the poor tree that had been unlucky enough to become his personal itch-reliever. It creaks slightly as Todoroki presses his side up against.

"Can dragons clean their own scales?" Midoriya questions next, kicking his feet while leaning forward to look down at Todoroki from the branch he sits on.

"I can't, my teeth can't get under them without it being painful. I think dragons groom each other, but I'm not sure." Shouto sighs as the persistent itch is finally relieved.

Midoriya hums, like he wants to ask something else but won't. Midoriya plows right onwards though, asking, "Do you think I could try scratching you?"

"Uh…" Is all Shouto's brilliant mind can come up with, going blank as Shouto struggles with two conflicting desires. Having Midoriya scratch him sounds amazing, especially to his aggravated scales. However, Shouto remembers the last time Midoriya had touched him with startling clarity. The touch had been too much, and Shouto fears that it won't be any different this time. "I don't think- that would probably be a bad idea."

"Ah, that's okay." Midoriya smiles, and Shouto doesn't feel like his cowardly actions deserve such an expression but he isn't going to stop Midoriya anytime soon. "My hands are kind of small anyways. They'd be like bugs compared to you."

"I wouldn't say that much. Your hands are more like rabbits." Midoriya only gives him a bewildered stare, so Shouto explains. "In size, your hands are like what rabbits are to you."

"I guess, but why rabbits?" Midoriya peers at him, but all Shouto can offer is his approximation of a shrug.

* * *

"Why do humans smile with their teeth?" Midoriya freezes from where he is sitting on the ground. The soft hues of the sunset light his face as his smile drops into a more inquisitive look.

"That's just how it is with people, I think it's a sign of trust, you know? Since you only smile with your teeth when you really mean it." Midoriya tilts his head, his eyes narrowing.

"It's just, for most animals, showing your teeth is a sign of anger. Humans are an exception though." Shouto comments, claws brushing against a small rock that jutted out from the grassy soil.

"Did you… were you confused then?" Midoriya questions, then clarifies. "When I first came and I smiled at you. I tend to 'show my teeth.'"

"No, I knew enough about humans to where I knew you didn't mean any harm." Plus, Midoriya's smile was so blinding that Shouto doesn't think he would have ever been able to do anything against it. Not like Shouto is going to tell Midoriya that though.

"Had you ever seen a smile before- before me?" Midoriya asks hesitantly, scanning Todoroki's stoic face for any negative signs.

"… Not with teeth." Shouto admits, because even in his memories, his mother is never smiling. When they were alone, Shouto remembers seeing a ghost of one, an upward tilt to her lips. It had disappeared as soon as he shifted back into a body of scales and claws. He was always too much like his father for her to ever fully accept.

"Oh. Well at least you know now." Midoriya says, coupling it with another toothy grin.

"Yeah." Shouto says softly, forcing himself to stop staring at Midoriya and look back at the sunset. Still, the painted sky has little to nothing when compared to Midoriya's eyes and grin.

* * *

Izuku feels lucky, a feeling that had abandoned him for the longest time, ever since he failed the rune test at 5 years old.

It's really because of Todoroki, because before Todoroki, there had only been Kacchan and the judging eyes of his small town. Everyone knows about poor, magicless Izuku, his body too weak to even hold the simplest of runes on his skin. His mom is still here, a pillar of support against the tide of negativity, as is the forest, a place to hide away from it all during the day.

All it had taken was one wrong step, leading Izuku down a confusing path with only his instincts to guide him. To this day, Izuku has no clue how he had ever found Todoroki's cave. He has several theories, but Izuku can't really find a way to prove them, so for now they stay unsolved.

Izuku won't trade his time with Todoroki for anything in the world by this point, besides for maybe his mum, but that is another story all together.

Of course, he can't live in the forest, and Kacchan is a lingering menace every time Izuku so much as breathes.

Izuku isn't sure where he went wrong. He and Kacchan had been friends once, before the first rune test. Kacchan had been rude, sure, but he had an aura around him that attracted other kids, kids like Izuku. Izuku had been tossed to the side though, a deku to be shoved down and stomped on.

Kacchan's power is no joke though, and even when he's only 11, Kacchan already has more runes than any kid in the village. His body was teeming with raw magic, something Izuku could only admire from afar, imagining what it must be like to wield such amazing power, how he could help people if he only had magic.

Despite Kacchan's insistence on being the most powerful guild member the country has ever seen, his runes are not helpful whatsoever, at least not at a glance.

The intricately carved circles in Kacchan's palm, laced with flames and spikes, glow as a small explosion erupts outward.

"Oi, Deku! Where do you think you're going?" Kacchan and his underlings stand between Izuku and his usual path to the forest, an irritated scowl lining Kacchan's face as usual.

"Um, n-nowhere- just the forest for a walk- it's not r-really that big of a deal." Izuku shrinks back, the sheer power exuding from Kacchan pushing him back.

"Shut up Deku, don't go telling me what's important or not." Kacchan sneers, and Izuku leans back a little further.

"O-of course, I wasn't trying to tell y-you what to do." Izuku says, quickly adding on a "I-I swear!" when Kacchan's glare turns murderous.

"Freaking Deku. You still haven't answered my question dummy; where you going?" Kacchan snaps, more explosions resounding from his palms. "And I don't want to hear 'the forest' again you wimp."

"I- I-" Izuku is frozen, eyes flickering from Kacchan to the two boys standing behind Kacchan. One of them had runes that could stretch his skin into spines while the other could grow different sets of wings. Izuku could get past them though, if he ducked around the right swing Kacchan would throw his way the moment Izuku decided to run for it. Izuku sucks in a breath, preparing his nerves for the giant risk he is about to take. "I c-can't t-tell you."

Izuku bolts to the right, barely dodging Kacchan's right swing. He runs as fast as his legs can carry him, knowing he'll be safe as soon as he enters the maze-like forest. He feels a draft of wind push him from behind, the boy with feather wings right on his tail. Izuku only pumps his legs harder, barely remembering to breathe as he focuses on going faster, staying ahead of the beating that will surely happen if he's caught now.

Fingers graze his hair just before the first foot breaks the boundary separating the forest from the rest of the world. Still, Izuku keeps on running, twisting and turning away from the large walls of magic he could feel lining the trees. The magic walls were subtle in a way, Izuku almost gets the feeling they were trying to distract him more than anything else though. But that is what Izuku is counting on.

Before he knows it, Izuku is already heading to the familiar tree, his feet taking him there more on instinct than anything. He hopes that Todoroki is already there, but even if Todoroki isn't Izuku is more than happy to stay there on his own until Todoroki shows up. Even before meeting Todoroki, the forest has always been a haven for Izuku, the trees and their traces of magic sheltering him from the village when everything became too much.

Today though, Todoroki is already waiting though, and Izuku pauses before revealing himself.

Todoroki is sitting perfectly perched in the tree, his vibrant scales highlighting his lithe form among the orange leaves. But what really grabs Izuku's attention is the way that Todoroki is talking to some sort of creature, one that Izuku has never seen before.

The creature is small enough for Izuku to hold in his hands, and vaguely resembles Todoroki. Its body is covered in tan fur instead of scales though, and its wings, feathery and thin, are flapping incessantly. Its face mirrors Todoroki's, save for the beak and the black, feathery tufts instead of horns. Travelling down the slender neck, miniscule spines poke out. Tiny claws are attached to equally tiny forelimbs, but there are no hind limbs to be seen, only a winding tail that ends with a whip-like thinness.

As Izuku sneaks closer, he starts to pick up bits of their 'conversation,' if it could even be called that. All Izuku can hear is a peculiar sort of growling. Something about it sounds hollow and yet layered. The sounds reverberate around Izuku's head, and he shakes it to try and get rid of the buzzing sensation that accompanies the sound.

The motion gets the creature's attention though, and with a flutter of wings, it zooms off, weaving through the trees quicker than Izuku can follow.

"Sorry." Izuku says, wishing he could just go back and time and stop himself from interrupting.

Todoroki opens his mouth, but all that comes out is more of the strange growling. Todoroki's eyes narrow, and he looks as confused as Izuku feels.

"I'm fine." Thankfully Todoroki has gone back to where Izuku can understand him, and a smile slips onto Izuku's face, like it had never left.

"Are you sure? You two were talking and I…" Izuku's fingers drum against his leg, his anxiety spilling over into his words.

"Don't worry. I couldn't understand it well anyways." Todoroki hums, stretching out his jaw.

"What language was that? I haven't heard it before." Izuku distracts himself from his fear, focusing on his curiosity instead.

"Dragontongue." Todoroki drops to the ground, walking over to stand by Izuku. "I had to learn it when I was younger. They couldn't really speak it though, just bits and pieces. I think he was trying to ask for directions?"

"Directions?" Midoriya chuckles at that before going straight back to his questions. "It just sounded like growls to me, and they were kind of echoing around in my head. Do you hear it like that?"

Todoroki shakes his head. "Draconians hear Dragontongue different than other species. I think there's magic laced in the words, that's why it sounded funny to you. To me it sounds like how we're talking, just… deeper, I guess."

"So, do you know where the magic comes from? Is it something you're born with? Or is it something you have to learn how to apply?" Izuku can feel his shoulders drop as he starts to truly relax, the familiarity of these types of conversations lulling him back into the sense of security.

"Any species of draconian is born with it, from Wyverns to Erthreals to me." Todoroki explains, and Izuku's mind begins to race excitedly from the possibilities of it all.

As Izuku continues to ask questions and their conversation continues, Kacchan and his friends fade into a distant memory, one that Izuku can deal with later. Once more, Izuku can't help but feel blessed.

Todoroki is talking to him, enjoying having him around- or Todoroki could just be tolerating him, but at least Todoroki is subtle about it if he is- and Izuku can't even put to words how wonderful that feels.

Todoroki doesn't judge someone's worth based on how they use magic, he doesn't decide Izuku's place in the world is at the very bottom before Izuku can even try, he even says that Izuku can join a guild. Todoroki isn't like some of his neighbors though, he has no pitiful undertone to his voice. He says these things about Izuku like they're just simple facts, and Izuku still doesn't think he can fully grasp what that means to him yet.

This is fine though, the carefully balanced friendship they've built. Izuku just thanks whatever higher power is out there that his mother thinks he stays within the town's limits, and that he doesn't have to attend the mandatory schooling yet. That doesn't start until he's 11, but by then him and Todoroki should have been friends long enough for it to work. Probably. Maybe. Hopefully.

Izuku shoves those thoughts aside, because for now, all he should worry about is what him and Todoroki are doing right here. Because who knows how long it will last.

Izuku shudders at the thought of Todoroki becoming like Kacchan.

* * *

"Shouto." His father's growl wakes Shouto from his slumber. The moment he realizes who is calling him though, he jumps to his feet, snapping the bleariness away from his eyes. His father gives no time for waking up; Shouto has the memories and the phantom pains to prove it.

"We're leaving." His father grunts, claws scraping against the floor of the cave, leaving glowing red marks in their wake. "You're strong enough to survive in the homelands now. We leave at dawn, make sure you eat something before we go. You won't survive the trip otherwise."

Shouto stands still, his half-awake mind still processing the information. Leaving? To his father's old home? What?

What about Midoriya?

A blast of heat by his right side snaps him out of his drowsy thoughts. Smoke trails out of his father's mouth and he hisses, "I would hurry Shouto. The sun will be up soon. Either way you'll be coming with me."

Shouto nods, scurrying out of the cave and down the rocks to clear his thoughts in peace.

The sting of the early morning air tells him that this isn't some feverish nightmare, but if that's true then, then, then-

He only has until the sun comes up, then he has to leave it all behind.

Shouto's feet are moving before he can think about it, jumping into the nearest tree and bounding upwards so his wings could find purchase in the breeze.

He isn't acting logically, Shouto knows that well enough; however, there's not anything in him fighting against this current train of thought, so he lets it sweep through him, overtaking common sense.

He has to see Midoriya, even if it's only for one last time.

Shouto reaches the edge of the forest only moments later. Choking on his own breaths, he sets down in the cover of the trees. He doesn't have nearly enough experience to use any other magic besides for his element, but there is nothing but open clearing all the way to the slew of small houses that marks Midoriya's village. He can only guess how the humans would react to him charging in so suddenly. None of them look good. He's still desperate though, claws tearing into the grass.

Shouto doesn't know how long he stands there, trying to convince himself of one choice or another. He can't take that one step that would let him leave the forest and take him to Midoriya.

 _"I don't understand, how can- how can I hate my own son? B-but his face, the shifting; sometimes Shouto looks just like him. He's human but not, and I can hardly stand it anymore."_

Will the humans attack him? Even if there is supposed to be peace between the different races, will that matter to them? Will Midoriya get in trouble for befriending someone like him?

Shouto doesn't know, he doesn't have any answers to offer. Silently, he prays for the chance that Midoriya comes sprinting down into the forest, right to where Shouto is waiting.

Except the sky is growing brighter by the moment, with Shouto's only salvation being that the sun is still hidden.

This isn't that hard though, he ran all the way here, why can't he just finish the journey?

With trembling claws, Shouto's foot nears the boundary. He can do this, he tells himself, he can do this, it's easy.

But as his foot is about to cross the threshold completely, sunlight breaks over from the horizon, spilling out onto the town and field and forest. Its brightness is Shouto's sentence, his father's warning roar, low enough so that it wouldn't reach the town, the executioner.

He debates, for a minute, the possibility of ignoring his father flits through his mind. That thought dies the instant his father roars again, insistent and already sounding annoyed. There is no such thing as denying his father and then escaping unscathed.

But Midoriya. Their tree. Their meetings. All of that just disappears if Shouto lowers his head to his father's will right now.

His foot is still trembling, just across the boundary now, but Shouto can't force himself to go any further than this. Not with the fear and uncertainty that surrounds interacting with humans besides for Midoriya.

Shouto turns, running back into the forest. He isn't running to his father though. He doesn't know exactly where this new idea of his came from, but it is the much-needed compromise Shouto hadn't known he'd been searching for.

By the time Shouto reaches their tree, he is breathless. As he walks towards the tree's bark, Shouto apologizes to it in his head. There is nothing else that Shouto can really do though, so this is a necessary sacrifice.

He raises his left forelimb, one claw outstretched. With the narrowing of his eyes, the claw is covered in a small flame. Shouto traces it against the bark, wincing as smoke drifts up, acrid and cloying. This beautiful and ancient tree doesn't deserve this treatment; and all Shouto can give in return for this travesty is the hope that Midoriya will see his hasty message and somehow understand.

His writing skills, unused since he lived with his mother, are barely legible. That's all Shouto needs though, and he is finished far sooner than he would have liked. Still, his father's third roar pierces his ears, annoyance having drifted into anger, and Shouto must go.

He turns without a second glance. Because if he looks around now, he's bound to do something he'll regret. The flap of his wings whisks the last of the smoke away, leaving only the smoldering message behind.

 **sorry**

* * *

Izuku wakes to the birds chirping outside his window. With a grin, he hops out of bed, his night gown clinging to his legs. The nightgown is technically too big for him, but his mum likes to get clothes that he can grow into, or at least that's what she says.

At least Izuku can blame it on the nightgown when he faceplants the moment he steps outside his room.

"Izuku, are you okay?" His mum calls immediately, already worried.

"I'm fine." Izuku says back, brushing off his bruised knees, as well as his pride. It could have been worse, Izuku reasons with himself, far, far worse.

As he tries his best to reach the kitchen without falling again, Izuku takes the time to glance around.

Their house isn't large by any means. It is simply built, with only cheap wood floors and staggered brick walls. Getting anything better took magic, something that his mum can't afford. It's the only home Izuku has known though, and he loves the worn, scratchy walls with all his heart.

Izuku walks into their small kitchen, smelling the enticing scent of freshly cooked breakfast. The cooking fire is still burning, but his mum puts it out with a whispered spell and a simple motion of moving a bit of water over it. Its dying sizzle and wisps of smoke are nothing strange to Izuku, and he holds his nose against the now bitter stench.

"It should clear out soon, the windows are open. It always does have such a smell though." His mum tuts, shaking her head. "If only I was able to hold some wind run- never mind. We manage just fine, right Izuku?"

"Yeah." Izuku replies, as he is expected to. But he had heard his mum's stutter. He doesn't hold anything against her, but it still hurts whenever she skirts around the topic of magic runes. It's like she's afraid he'll break down again, when it's really the opposite; all Izuku wants to do is be a hero, with or without runes. It would be nice to hear that from his mum though.

Regardless, breakfast disappears down his throat quickly, scarfed down even faster at the prospect of returning to the forest. Todoroki had said that he should have the morning free today. Izuku will be able to avoid running into Kacchan first thing in the morning.

After his breakfast is gone, Izuku races back to his room to change. He apologizes after his mother gives a startled "Izuku!"

He slips on a simple green shirt, pale green with a few tatters in it. Pants follow it, the legs cuffing around Izuku's knee. The shorts are filled with various pockets. They're Izuku's favorite, worn around the edges and having a few holes of their own. He's found too many treasures to count though, so much so that his room is overflowing with them. A gem he found lying in the streets once, a feather from some unknown bird, a branch from his favorite tree, he even has one of Todoroki's scales- that one had been taken with permission, and it had been one that Todoroki had shed.

Izuku doesn't bother with shoes, as usual, and speedily walks to the front door.

"Izuku, why are you going out so early? Are you and Katsuki doing something?" His mum's voice is soft, but her gaze is searching from where she cleans up breakfast's leftovers.

"Y-yeah, it's only for the m-morning so I have to go now!" Izuku opens the door faster than he should have, but by the time its shut his mum hasn't had enough time to directly question it. Izuku hates lying to his mum, but she won't believe him if he told her he found a dragon- technically dragonet if Izuku is remembering it right- in the woods, apparently only living with his dad.

Todoroki isn't bad though, just a little awkward and distant at times. Besides, Izuku is learning more with Todoroki than he could ever learn from the tiny library in their town. He's already read every book that he could get his hands on, especially since his mum is a scribe there.

Just before Izuku is about to break the edge of the town, a cry stops him.

"Hey! C'mon Bakugou, that's my brother's!"

Izuku knew the boy talking, someone who had gotten runes for expanding his skin. Most of the town considers them to be rather useless, especially when taking in the fact that the boy isn't compatible with any other runes yet. But honestly, it's not a bad ability, Izuku wonders is the magic applies to only skin, or down to muscles and bones as well. It could really be-

Izuku is getting off track, looking between the safety of the forest and where Kacchan is hurting someone. The choice is obvious.

Izuku darts forward, following the sound of the enraged cries and whimpers until he finds the source. Kacchan and his friends are standing a distance away from the other boy. Kacchan is grinning, runes displayed proudly on his upturned palms.

"You're the one who wanted to fight. So, fight me loser!" Kacchan snarls, sparks dancing above his hands.

"Kacchan!" Before Kacchan can move any closer, Izuku puts himself between Kacchan and the boy- now Izuku feels a little bad he doesn't know the boy's name but there's nothing he can do about it. "Y-you shouldn't pick on others j-just 'cause they aren't as s-strong."

"What? Is the useless Deku going to stop me?" Kacchan steps forward, grinning ferally. "I'd like to see you try."

"P-please Kacchan," Izuku can't stop his hands from trembling, even as they clench into fists and rise to protect his face. He's up against Kacchan though, and he's been beaten down enough times to know where this is going to go. "nobody has to get hurt."

Then Izuku doesn't have time to think because Kacchan is lunging towards him and Izuku must once again deal with the fact that he has to somehow block explosive punches, but he can't because then he'll get burned.

And Izuku tries, he tries his hardest to win. He can't last against Kacchan forever, and soon the fight turns into little more than a merciless beatdown on Kacchan's half. Izuku blocks it out as best he can, with his arms wrapped over his head and his eyes screwed shut. At least the pain dulls after a while, becoming a distant sensation rather than something immediate. That might not be a good thing too.

Kacchan gets tired after a while, leaving Izuku on the ground with his injuries. As soon as their voices become a distant murmur, Izuku dares to unwrap his arms. He gingerly sits up, still sniffling and whimpering as the movement aggravates- well, just about everywhere.

Izuku looks behind him, and with a dazed surprise, realizes the boy Izuku had rushed in to defend is still there. The boy has a few scrapes and bruises, most likely from Kacchan's friends since there aren't any burns accompanying them.

"Are you okay?" Izuku asks, a shaky, but toothy grin lighting his face.

The boy is not impressed. "If you really want to help, maybe find someone with runes instead of…" the boy crinkles his nose in disgust "…you."

"Oh." Izuku says, looking at the ground.

"Whatever." The boy stalks off, muttering angrily.

Izuku kind of feels like curling into a ball and not moving for the rest of the day. But then he remembers Todoroki, and a little bit of the weight comes off his shoulders. Todoroki could help him with the burns- because there is no way Izuku could ever come back to his mum looking like this without worrying her to death- and Izuku would get the chance to enjoy more time with Todoroki.

Mind already set, Izuku gets to his feet, only wobbling a little bit. He slips out to the forest with ease, navigating the web of faint magic. For some reason the barriers that have been erect for years don't seem nearly as strong now. Izuku can't really focus on finding an explanation right now though, not when their tree is so close and Izuku is so tired.

Once the familiar tree comes into sight, Izuku sighs in relief. His eyes are flickering shut already, and by the time he curls up against the tree the pain has already been replaced with weariness. Izuku hardly registers anything before he slips into sleep, least of which being the blackened scrawl carved into the tree's bark.

When Izuku wakes up, the sun is far past midway in the sky, and he has a small infestation of birds and flies that have gathered around him. He shoos them away, yawning.

"Todoroki?" Izuku calls, wondering if his friend is simply hiding from him. One look at the sun makes his hear plummet though. Todoroki had probably come by earlier and hadn't wanted to wake Izuku up, now there is no chance of them hanging out, at least not for today.

Izuku looks around, stopping when he looks at their tree, his eyes narrowing.

"Sorry?" Izuku says, hands tracing the messy writing that has shown up on the tree. "What for?" Izuku assumes that Todoroki did this, although it seems a little much just for not waking Izuku up.

The burns and scrapes littering Izuku's body have their own voices though, sending sharp stabs of pain. Izuku will have to deal with those before he goes back home. As he goes out into the forest to look for the plants he'll need, he hopes that he sees Todoroki tomorrow.

But then tomorrow comes, and Izuku spends almost the entire day in the forest with no sign of Todoroki.

Then the day after gives Izuku the same results. As does the day after it, and the day after that.

All Izuku can do is repeat the word Todoroki left behind. All Izuku can do is hope that he hasn't been abandoned.

He loses his hope after two weeks have passed. Izuku comes back to see only that same word waiting for him at their tree, body supporting new burns, and collapses into a ball of tears.

Somehow this is worse than Kacchan ever could be.

* * *

Todoroki coughs, a bit of blood staining the rocky and barren grounds of his 'home' as he does. This place never seems to run out of rocks, or lava for that matter. A stream of it trickles by a distance away, giving a soft glow.

Endeavor- not his father, Endeavor would never be any sort of father to Shouto- watches him with an upturned lip.

"Shake it off. We both know you should be getting much worse for running away. Again." Endeavor snarls, his flames roaring with new strength. "Not to mention this stupid rebellious streak you've taken on. It's ridiculous. You are much better staying true to your nature."

"Like you?" Shouto huffs, not bothering to hide the anger seeping into his words.

"Better than me. Better than every weak and miserable piece of flesh that dares to walk the world alongside you. You will surpass them all. Starting with All Might." Endeavor's flames turn blue, creating another wave of heat that washes over Shouto.

"I'll be stronger than you." Todoroki affirms, his wings flaring outwards.

Endeavor leers over him. "Not without using fire you won't."

"I don't need your fire to win. I never will." Shouto stares, unflinching even as Endeavor draws in a breath. Shouto is quick enough now to jump away when the flames come pouring out of Endeavor's jaws.

"That's hubris Shouto. Ice can never beat fire on its own." Endeavor stomps towards him, animalistic paws digging into the terrain like its sand and not solid stone. "Combine them however… and then you have a masterpiece."

Shouto bares his teeth, steadying his wings for flight despite their protests against the motions.

"You think you can fly with those kinds of burns on your wings? I don't know when you became so arrogant." Endeavor sits, waving a wing dismissively. "What are you waiting for then? Try and fly away and see how far you get this time."

Shouto considers it for a moment before folding his wings back in. He barely suppresses a sigh of relief as he does, but he isn't willing to give Endeavor the satisfaction.

"I'll keep running; one of these days I am bound to make it."

"And what? Live in hiding?" His father snorts out smoke and ash. "You're a dragon. You were made for greatness. You will never be able hide."

"The world is a big place, I heard some of the other kingdoms are very hard to navigate." Shout draws himself up, standing tall against the glare leveled at him.

Endeavor goes silent, tilting his head as he peers at Shouto. Something in Shouto's stomach drops when a fearsome smile curls its way across the flame-outlined face.

"What about your mother?"

Shouto growls, ice spiking up on the ground, only to start melting immediately. "You wouldn't just abandon her, would you?"

"Don't bring mother into this." Shouto snaps, and Endeavor's grin grows even sharper. "You don't care about her, you never did."

"You know how I feel about that sad excuse for a woman."

"Don't talk about her like that."

"I'll talk about her however I want." In a single motion, Endeavor is crouching over Shouto, flames mere breaths away from Shouto's eye. "I like a little bite from you, it makes this project more interesting. But don't go off thinking you have any say over my actions. If you ever leave there is no telling what might happen to your mother."

"You- you don't know where she is. You left her behind when you took me to the cave. You can't touch her- you can't." Shouto feels hollow now, his scar tingling with suppressed energy.

"My monthly donation of gold is the only thing she's surviving on. Unless those useless siblings of yours actually managed to get jobs. Humans aren't fond of half-breeds from what I hear." Endeavor leans closer, the edge of his snout touching Todoroki's. "I'd hate to have to cut her off, but to help look for my _poor, lost son,_ I would have to."

"You- you wouldn't- you…" Todoroki splutters out, trying to grasp any sort of way to call this as just a bluff, a scare tactic and nothing more. Endeavor doesn't work like that though. Endeavor is straightforward and brutal, using anything at his dispense to get the advantage. Using Shouto's mother as leverage would be no different than brushing a fly off his scales.

"Understand?" Endeavor growls before backing away, giving Shouto the room he hadn't known he needed to just breathe. "I expect you to be at our normal training spot as soon as the sun goes down."

Shouto looks up to see the sun already halfway sunken below the horizon. He sits down, taking as much time as he could to relax and ice over the wounds that are still stinging.

Endeavor leaves without another word, presumably to go brag to his friends here about how he had 'reigned in his wayward son, and the struggles he went through with Shouto.' It's all one big game, an elaborate farce.

This 'homeland' of Endeavor's has been a 4-year long nightmare, one that Shouto can't see the end of. As always when he gets sentimental like this, his mind flickers back to Midoriya, of their tree and bright smiles, and of the shoddy goodbye Shouto had given his friend. Midoriya had deserved better, and surely the boy hates Shouto by now, or doesn't bother to remember him.

Shouto is fine though, or at least he will be eventually. He won't be like his father, in any shape or form. Hell, he'd do everything as a human if he could find out how to.

He doesn't know how to, at least not yet. But he will. One day he will.

* * *

Izuku sighs, picking up his now scorched notebook off the dusty ground outside of the school. The title, 'Magic Analysis For The Future #13" is barely legible anymore, and half the pages are burnt around the edges, if not more. Izuku should be thankful that most of information he had poured hours of research and observation into is still intact at all, but all he feels is a numbness spreading from his chest until he can't even feel his fingers anymore.

 _"You wanna get in a guild like Yuuei shitty Deku? Try dying and hope that you get some runes in the next life."_

Izuku's shoulders feel heavy as they tremble. Placing the notebook back in the small pack that holds the rest of his school supplies, Izuku tries to wipe away the tears streaming down his cheeks without success.

His shoulders stay hunched on his walk home, where despite his best efforts to stay positive, he can't shut out the cries of _useless_ , _magicless_ , and _weakling_ that bounce around his skull, engraving themselves into his mind as they always did.

So lost in his own head, he hardly notices the townspeople walking around him, save, until he runs straight into one.

"Oh- I'm sorry! Let me help you- ah- you- you're bleeding!" Izuku is left fumbling as his hands try to find a good place to steady the frail man he has basically just shoved to the ground.

"Don't worry my boy, the blood is quite normal for me, although I can see how that wouldn't be comforting." The man smiles at Izuku, showing off just how hollow his cheeks are. The man gets up on his feet unassisted though, his rather fancy looking robes holding no traces of dirt. "I can assure you that I am fine. It will take more than a fall to bring me down."

"T-That's good…" Izuku trails off, both distracted by the way the man brushes off the blood on his hand- the blood that was trickling out of a scratch that had literally come out of nowhere- and by the fact that he can't realize how he hadn't noticed this man before running into him. The magic surrounding this man is like nothing Izuku has ever felt. It shifts and contorts, instead of being rooted in one place like most other people's magic is. Regardless, its power is near overwhelming, and Izuku's hands are itching to pull out his notebook and start writing down his observations.

"My boy? Are you all right?" The man's voice snaps Izuku out of his thoughts with an embarrassing yelp. Heck- the man has even gone as far as to put one of his large hands against Izuku's forehead.

Izuku jumps backward immediately, stuttering, "Y-yes! I'm fine. Just- just got lost in thought."

The man's mess of blonde hair peaks out from under his hood as his head tilts. "Are you sure? You did look rather scared."

"I'm s-sure. I'm sorry about knocking you over." Izuku bows, making sure he at least looks sincere.

"You don't have to go that far." The man chuckles weakly, holding up his hands in a placating manner. "I'm fine, really. You can go on your way."

"I- I'm sorry again- have a nice day." Izuku bows once more before speeding away. He still can't believe he had done that. Can this day get any worse? First there's Kacchan and now that poor guy. Still, at least Izuku makes it home without another incident.

"Izuku, your school robes are burnt. Did something happen?" His mum frets over him the moment he walks through the door, a fact that warms his heart and also puts a pit in his stomach. His mum shouldn't have to worry about him so much; she wouldn't, if he had runes like every other person.

"It's nothing mum, just a little accident in class." Izuku smiles against her worrying, but it doesn't get rid of the concerned frown.

"All right." His mum says, cupping his cheek. Izuku leans into the touch slightly, nodding. As his mum turns around though, he swears that she mutters, "It better not have been that Katsuki. I don't want to have to have another talk with Mitsuki."

Izuku puts his stuff down in his room, and takes all of two seconds to deliberate his options before taking out a new notebook from his reserve stack.

"Mum, I'm going to go out to the forest. Is that okay?" Izuku asks as he walks out of his room. He had long since told his mum about his forest escapades. She had taken it surprisingly well, just grounding Izuku for a week and then making him promise to always take a bag full of protectionary items.

"Actually, I was hoping to have an early dinner. It should be done soon though, then you can go to the forest until sundown." His mum calls back, and Izuku can hear the sound of dishes moving as she shuffles through the cabinets.

"Do want any help?" Izuku offers, shoving his notebook and pen into one of the shallow pockets in his school robes.

"I don't need it." His mum reassures him. "But if you want to then I'm not going to stop you."

"I'd be happy to." Izuku shuffles into the kitchen. "What are you cooking?"

"Just some chicken, would you be a dear and get one of the carving knives? This one has quite a bit of yuck on it." His mum maneuvers the chicken onto the counter using her runes, a few pots filled with water floating around her as well.

Izuku moves to the silverware drawer, but when he reaches for the knife in question, his hand freezes.

 _Try dying and hope that you get some runes in the next life_

 _Useless_

 _Worthless_

 _Deku_

"Izuku?" Izuku jumps, putting one hand on the counter to steady himself.

"C-coming." Izuku grabs the knife with trembling hands and practically shoves it towards his mother. "Sorry, j-just got lost in thought."

"I- okay darling, just be careful, okay?" His mum cups his cheek again, and Izuku looks at the ground.

"I will."

The rest of dinner goes pretty well. The chicken comes out of the fire tasting delicious, as do the vegetables and fruit. They have some white rice on the side too, and by the end of it Izuku is stuffed.

"Thank you for dinner."

His mum waves him off. "Izuku, you always say that, really, there's no need for it. Besides, you cooked half of it yourself."

Izuku's face heats up slightly. "Still."

"You're too sweet. Now go off to the forest while there's still some light out. I have to go shopping."

"Is there a sale on night charms?" Usually his mum doesn't bother with shopping this late, not unless the marketplace is getting an influx in magical items that can only be sold once the sun is set, like lunar flowers and such.

"The rumors said so, I'm just hoping they're reliable so we can get some more glowstones. Our lamps are running low." His mum clasps her purse, tutting nervously.

"I think I know where there might be some in the forest." Izuku remarks, thinking back to the very cave where he had found Todoroki. He can still remember the soft blue glow that he had silently marveled at while rambling away to someone he only half-thought had been there.

"Really? I would have thought they'd found it by now- then again, no one I know has been able to get anywhere in that forest for a while now. Except for you of course." His mum smiles at him. "Just don't go putting yourself in danger for something as silly as glowstones."

"I won't." Izuku promises before heading out, waving one last goodbye.

The trip to the forest is quick, since the streets leading to it are mostly abandoned. The forest itself is quiet, strangely so for it being so late in the day. Izuku keeps a hand wrapped around the small dagger stashed in his bad. He isn't any sort of expert, but he's had a couple of bad run ins that have taught him some basic skills on the fly.

Izuku makes sure he doesn't go anywhere near their tree, giving it a large berth as he tries to remember the way to the cave, settled on the edge of a particularly steep hill. Of course, this hill is only vaguely visible from the edge, so Izuku has no idea just how deep into the forest this cave is.

He jots down any interesting things he sees as he goes along, ranging from some of the usual sprites interacting with one another, to a lizard that he's only seen a handful of times- that one is an exciting find, especially since Izuku thinks he had heard it speaking some form of draconian.

Sooner than he thought, Izuku is trekking up the rocky path that leads to the cave. The sun is almost touching the horizon now, so he needs to hurry. As he nears the cave though, dread builds up in his gut. Something… something doesn't feel right to him.

He sniffs the air, only to gag at the foul odor. Tiptoeing closer, Izuku breathes through his mouth as he tries to get a glimpse of whatever is giving off the feeling of decaying magic. Izuku's back is pressed up against the hillside and he steadies his nerves as best he can as he inches closer to the entrance. He dares to tilt his head around the corner, and is met with a gruesome sight.

Surrounded by glowstones, their blue glow outlining it, some monstrosity- one that will surely appear in Izuku's nightmares after this- stands, gurgling. It doesn't have a tangible form, unless one counts a black slime as tangible. Even then it can't hold any real shape, the only definable features being the mouth of curved teeth and two bloodshot eyes.

"Water… water." The thing croaks, voice hoarse, a slimy appendage shooting out to drag along the cave floor. "Where- water."

Izuku leans away instinctively, only to dislodge a few pebbles from the cave wall. Helpless to stop them, time seems to slow down for Izuku as they fall, smacking against the ground and rolling away.

The moment they hit, the creature turns at speeds Izuku wouldn't have imagined possible. Izuku finds himself shaking as its eyes bounce frantically around before landing on him.

"…water." The creature smiles, and that's all it takes for Izuku to turn and sprint, jumping down from rock to rock, ignoring the path. All he can hear is the sickening sound of liquid slapping against the ground as the creature presumably gave chase. Izuku is trying to think of anything that could help him. The creature's only weak points are probably its eyes and mouth, so he knows where to aim. Fire would probably be effective, but there's nothing in his bag to start a fire with. He has his dagger, but he doubts that he'll get a chance to use it face to face.

Something slimy wraps around his leg, interrupting his thoughts and sending him face first into the dirt. The slime stings as it creeps up his leg, and Izuku is gasping in fear, eyes blown wide.

"Water." The creature is still smiling, pulling itself closer to Izuku, He tries to stand up and run, but is yanked to the ground before he can get anywhere.

Frantically, he digs a weak acid out of his bag and flings it at the creature. With an ungodly shriek, the thing recoils.

"Water. Need water." The thing hisses, lunging at Izuku once more, this time managing to wrap around both his arm and head. Izuku pulls more, but the slime sticks like he isn't pulling at all.

Izuku chokes as the slime suddenly slides down to cover his face. He can't see. He can't breathe. An even deeper panic starts to set in as Izuku realizes that he's going to die here, swallowed up by whatever this thing is.

Izuku struggles, he thrashes as hard as he can. He pulls and cuts through slime in jerky motions, but nothing is working. More and more, he can feel himself slipping closer to unconsciousness as his lungs start to burn for air he can't reach.

"I am here!" A booming voice rings out, and Izuku wants to cry in relief- he probably would if he could.

A wave of magic washes over Izuku and the creature, peeling away the creature's grasp on Izuku's skin. Izuku doesn't see much of what happens next, to busy coughing out the residue slime still in his mouth. But he does hear the creature's final wail as it disappears- or is killed- Izuku doesn't know which.

As Izuku's breaths finally even out, a reassuring hand pats his back. Izuku can't help but freeze at the sudden touch, and the voice asks, "Are you all right?"

"Y-yeah. Thank…" Izuku loses all ability to function as he turns to face his savior, because there, just as he has been described by every person Izuku has ever asked, stands All Might. He's positively a giant, but his trademark smile is still on his face. Tears are streaming down Izuku's face before he can stop them, and All Might looks alarmed.

"My boy, are you sure you're fine?" He asks, and Izuku furrows his brows despite the tears. Where has he…?

Wait a minute. Wait a minute. Izuku had- the old man from earlier was. Their magic felt the exact same- it couldn't be a coincidence.

"All Might!" Izuku yelps, jumping back.

"Ah- I can see how that would be a surprise. But yes, it is I, All Might." All Might says with a quick bow. And did Izuku just meet All Might? Half of him is wondering when he's going to wake up from this nightmare turned dream.

"Wha- how- why?" Izuku splutters out, wiping away the last of his tears.

"I was looking to see if a comrade was here, this cave was where the last sighting of him were rumored to be, so I was hoping he'd still be in that cave. Regardless, I am glad that I came so that you could be saved."

"What was that t-thing?" Izuku asks, sitting on his knees.

"Corrupt water sprite. Nasty things to deal with." All Might explains, rising to his feet and offering Izuku a hand. Gingerly, Izuku takes it, eyes blowing wide when All Might picks him up like he was nothing but a baby.

Now standing on his feet and with a little more control over his racing thoughts, Izuku bows as low as he can. "Th-thank you for saving me. And I am sorry about earlier. Can I please have you sign my notebook?"

"I am happy to help anyone in need, and I would be just as happy to sign your notebook." Izuku could die now, at this moment, on the spot, and he would be fine with it. All Might was signing his notebook. _All Might was signing his notebook!_

Izuku almost trips over himself with how quickly he pulls his notebook and pen out of his pocket, shoving them towards All Might. "T-thank you again."

"It was no trouble." All Might assures him. "Although," All Might pauses from where he had been about to sign, blue eyes boring into Izuku. "I do have to wonder what you were apologizing about."

"Oh!" Izuku exclaims, slumping. "Oh- that- ha- it's just, I think I might have run you over in the street earlier. Not while you look like this- but you were skinnier- kind of like a skeleton if I'm being honest."

"Hm?" All Might hums, and Izuku starts to panic.

"Well, not like a skeleton skeleton, you know? Your cheeks were really hollow and I think some blood just kind of popped up out of nowhere- I felt really bad about it and now I definitely feel worse about it. Of course! If that's like your secret identity or anything you don't have to worry about me telling anyone- at least on purpose because that just wouldn't be polite or even safe-"

"My boy," All Might puts a hand on his shoulder, and Izuku jumps, shutting his mouth immediately. "it's fine as long as I can trust you not to go telling the entire town about this. I assume you already know what it would do to my reputation, and therefore the safety of this kingdom."

"I know." Izuku has grown up on stories about All Might's feats, and on tales of current adventures. He knows how All Might is known across the whole kingdom, more than any other mage past or present. People believe in him, just like Izuku does. "I swear I won't tell anyone. Nobody would believe me anyways."

"You'd be surprised on how word spreads." All Might's smile turns sad, almost bitter, and Izuku desperately wants to ask about the reason behind it. "But for future experience, what gave me away."

"Your magic." Izuku answers immediately, and All Might tilts his head. "It moves, but everyone else's magic stays in place. You and the man had the same type of magic."

"You… you can sense magic to that degree?"

"I- um- can't everyone?" Izuku narrows his eyes, because he's never heard anyone describe magic in the way he can feel it, but he can't even support runes, why would he be able to feel magic differently from the people who could actually use it?

"My boy, if you can really tell the difference between people's magic, you have an incredible ability. I can only imagine how powerful your runes are." All Might's smile has turned bright once more, and Izuku can only feel his insides crumbling. He almost doesn't want to tell All Might at all, but Izuku won't lie to his idol like that.

"Actually- can I ask you a question?"

"Of course, although we may want to start heading back afterwards."

Izuku sucks in a breath, then lets it out, clenching his fists. "All Might, can someone- can someone who can't hold runes become a hero- become a mage like you?"

"I-" All Might looks around, sighing. "I can't say that you can, not when you don't have access to your own brand of magic. But being a hero doesn't mean being a mage. Healers save others with potions constantly, and knights protect the ruling council and the kingdom from threats of war. You can look into one of those if you want to be a hero."

Izuku almost wishes he would wake up now, but the breeze picking at his skin tells him that this is all, all too real. He can feel himself shaking, but he can't find anything to say.

A part of him feels like he shouldn't have expected anything different.

* * *

 **Feel free to ask or comment on anything! Criticism is absolutely wanted! I want to improve my writing as best I can.**


	2. Speak Every Word As If It Were Unique

**Holy crap I finally finished this! ...And its 40,000 words of more exposition. Yay? I don't know at this point I just want to go into a coma. Have fun reading this its mostly angst just warning you now. Also there is very little editing done so have fun with that.**

 **Honestly you can expect the next chapter in June rip.**

 **I found both chapter titles from the song "You" by Keaton Henson**

* * *

When Izuku wakes up in the morning, it's almost like his idol hadn't crushed his dreams the day before.

And sure, All Might had been nothing but kind afterwards, escorting Izuku back to town. All Might's form had shifted just before they arrived, wavering for a moment before collapsing down into the man Izuku ran into. It had been strange to watch, but incredibly interesting. Izuku probably would have written notes about it if he had been in the mood. But he hadn't been.

Before they parted, All Might had given him one last goodbye, and Izuku, like an idiot, followed his instincts and reached out for him. All Izuku had managed to snag was a small silver chain, accidentally pulling it almost hard enough to break- thank lords that it hadn't broken- regardless though, the entire thing had ended with Izuku beet red.

"Sorry." He had said, bowing slightly. "I j-just wanted to s-say thank you for saving me. A-again."

"You shou- don't have to thank me, my boy." All Might had rumbled, a tight frown on his face. "I was just doing my duty."

With that, All Might had left, leaving Izuku where he is now.

Izuku shoves his tears back, refusing to cry now. He's already spent most of the last night emptying his eyes, he shouldn't keep crying now.

All Might had only been doing the right thing, saving Izuku from his hopeless dream of being a mage- of being someone who people consider a hero.

Izuku just can't believe it hurts this much.

Maybe it's because he's been fight so long, refusing to give in, refusing to back down when the world told him he couldn't. But so much of that determination has been built around the manuscripts left from some of All Might's speeches. Izuku has been clinging to the words _"Anyone can be a hero"_ for as long as he can remember. Izuku has believed in those words, even when at times it felt like he had nothing left, at least he could still be a hero.

Now that dream is well and truly fractured, bits and pieces scattered around with more about to join them.

Izuku still wants to be a hero though. By this point he can't imagine being anything else. All Might had a point with his list of other job options, but none of them appealed to Izuku, not in the way the chance of being a fully certified mage did.

The sound of shuffling footsteps snaps Izuku out of his thoughts. Today starts the four-day break that students got once a month from schooling. Today he can just breath, figure out what to do about yesterday, and hopefully move on.

With that knowledge, Izuku feels a bit better, standing up on sturdier legs than he would have moments ago.

As always, he can feel that his mum knows- suspects that something isn't right, but she does nothing but give subtle prompts, little chances for Izuku to tell her everything if he wants to. This isn't something he can put into words, even if he wanted to, so he just smiles and blames the swollenness of his eyes on some irritating plants in the forest and a night of bad sleep.

"I think I'll just stay around here today." Izuku states absentmindedly, picking the last of his breakfast off his plate.

"That's fine dear, I have to do some archiving today though so I probably won't be back until late in the afternoon." His mum rubs her cheek with a small frown. "I don't like leaving you here alone all day though, it must get so lonely. You can always stop by the library if you want."

"I know mum. I'll be fine." Izuku assures her, but like always, she doesn't look completely satisfied. "Really mum, I will. I just want to catch up on some work and take some time to relax." Izuku feels like he's trying to prove something to her, which is stupid because there shouldn't be anything to prove. The feeling persists, even as his mother is leaving the house with Izuku waving her off with a smile.

The moment Izuku is on his own though, he's stuck.

His bad thoughts are like a thunderstorm, sometimes you can see it coming in the distance and prepare, and other times its just over your head and pouring down before you can move. This is the latter.

It only takes a few moments before Izuku is crying. Loud, body-wracking sobs that drain him. He is surprised that he hadn't ended up like this last night, but his mother had been sleeping then, and he was considerate enough to keep it down for her.

There's nothing holding him back now, and Izuku lets it all pour out. His back slides against the wall as he collapses beside his bed. He curls himself over his knees, arms shaking, as hot, thick tears streak down his cheeks and drip onto his clothes.

Once he's finally done, he reaches around with a blind hand. His notebook is pulled down to rest on his knees as his hand grasps it.

Shakily, his hands fumble around a pen and ink. The moment the ink bottle is open, Izuku dips his pen into the ink and starts to write.

"Powerful-" Izuku sniffs, "magic, it shifts around him. Maybe he is part fae? No runes that I could see, which could be a result from mixed heritage. Magic nature is hard to pinpoint." He sighs, his tremors subsiding as he begins to really get into his analysis. "Might have enhanced strength, but it doesn't seem to be there constantly. He moved faster when he was in his original form… or has his image always been an illusion? Needs further investigation."

Izuku eats away at the time like this, three more pages being added to his previously small section on All Might. There just isn't much on him, at least in a factual sense. Izuku has spent hours pouring over volumes upon volumes of myths and stories surrounding the mage. All Might first rose to fame right around the time the second Draconian War ended. He had saved the King from the general of the dragon's army, subduing the so-called Endeavor so that peace could be negotiated. No one knew how old All Might was, but that might be more evidence pointing towards a mystical parentage.

It's not like 'half breeds,' as people with a parentage like Todoroki were often labeled, were completely obscure; in fact, they've become more common over the years. Half the time he'll hear Kacchan get questions like 'Is your mom just some sort of fire demon?' and various other versions of the same basic idea. Apparently Kacchan is very inhuman, something Izuku can attest to.

Although he wonders about Todoroki. Izuku's done a lot of research on dragonkin- as much as he could find actually- but there is hardly anything on them. It's understandable, relations between the human and dragon kingdoms have only been hospitable for the past 30 years or so, even when the war ended just over a century ago. And then there came to probability of actually having a child. Dragons were capable of breeding with humans- that feels weird to think but Izuku still has nightmare from the more…graphic descriptions he had stumbled across- it they can transform into a human themselves. A dragon needed outside help with this, given that outside of the elements they are born knowing how to use, their magic use is limited. But apparently the chances of a child that is truly dragonkin, able to shift between the two forms, is low.

…And that is all Izuku knows. It's pitiful really. But he assumes that Todoroki is a rarity among rarities. He doesn't have any evidence, just a feeling in his gut that rings true to him.

But of course, if Todoroki is a rarity among rarities, Izuku is a nobody among the nobodies.

And now his thoughts are spiraling downwards, and Izuku's helpless to stop it. He thought he had been doing a good job at distracting himself. Now that idea is out.

Izuku stands up, a walk would help to clear his head. If anything, it's better than sitting around in here waiting to become prey to his toxic mind.

* * *

Izuku narrows his eyes at the crowd surrounding one of the spaces. They hadn't been there when he had gone into the forest. He slips closer, trying to see over their heads. Then he hears the crowd.

"What is that?"

"Is that Mitsuki's kid?"

"Is anyone around here certified?"

"Does anyone know how to fight this thing?"

"I don't have runes that'll help."

"We tried throwing things at it, what do we do?"

"How are we going to get it out of town?"

"Can anyone help?"

"He's doing well though. Maybe he'll be fine?"

"It's scary."

Izuku's eyes widen, and he shoves his way to the front of the crowd. He almost pulls out his notebook, but stops himself. Notes can't do anything.

When he can finally see the sight all these people have been staring at. His mouth drops open, and he's shaking even before the recognition hits.

That's the corrupted water sprite, the one All Might had saved him from. And it has its form almost completely wrapped around Kacchan. It keeps rising to cover Kacchan more, its eyes glaring at him.

"Water." It hisses, almost in victory. Kacchan's eyes narrow though, and Izuku can still see the glow from his runes as he sets off an explosion. The creature screeches, eyes rolling backwards as bits of it go flying away. But before Kacchan can move the monster has recovered and already has more slime covering the area Kacchan had blown away.

But wait, hadn't All Might already beat it? How is it back?

Izuku scans the area, searching for something- anything that can show him how the creature got here.

There. Glinting besides the food stall lining the space, sits an innocent silver chain connected to an intricate centerpiece of a far too familiar necklace.

Memories flash over his eyes, of his hands nearly breaking said chain. That had probably been enough to weaken it, so it's not such a big stretch to say it fell off later.

This is all Izuku's fault. He's responsible for breaking that necklace. Kacchan must have come across it and accidentally released the monster.

For a second, a vengeful, nasty part of Izuku whispers that maybe Kacchan deserved this, with the way he tosses around hurtful words and burns like they're nothing but air. Never paying attention to the consequences, never giving anyone the time of day besides for himself.

Izuku shoves those thoughts down in the dark corner of his mind where the other twisted thoughts he didn't want to recall go. Because that's not the point here. Kacchan is in danger, and nobody is stepping forward to help him.

Izuku scans the area again, this time looking for anything, or anybody, that could stop the monster. He finds it barren, and his fear begins to grow. Then he spots a loose piece of wood, laying discarded on the ground next to the stall, and forms a plan.

He pauses, because what is he thinking? This is thing that nearly killed him yesterday. What does runeless little Izuku plan to do against something like that?

But as he looks around, no one else is stepping up to help, only muttering nervously among themselves and some even offering their condolences. None of them are going to be moving anytime soon.

Izuku looks back to the monster and Kacchan, who's runes are still aglow and lighting off explosions even when everything besides for his eyes are encased by the beast. His eyes meet with Kacchan's for a moment, just a single moment, and he's shoving through the few people between him and the monster before he even realizes what he's doing.

The eyes are the weak spot, Izuku notes as he picks up the plank of wood, since they aren't made of slime and they don't appear to move. Cries of "stop," "what are you doing," and "get back" all go ignored.

He had seen a cry for help in Kacchan's eyes, and Izuku physically could not ignore desperation that strong. He slams the wood into the creature's eye, wincing at the blood, sticky and thick like tar, that spurts out.

Izuku reaches a hand into the creature and latches onto Kacchan just as it lets out a blood curdling shriek. Izuku's feet are straining against the ground, but the creature refuses to let go of Kacchan. It certainly doesn't help that Kacchan is glaring at him with revulsion, struggling even against Izuku's help.

In the end, Izuku isn't strong enough. The monster gurgles, staring at Izuku murderously with beady pupils.

Izuku gulps as the sludge lunges, wondering if this is how he dies. He kind of wants to apologize to Kacchan for not being able to save him, and his mom, for putting up with him for 14 years.

"I am here!" The cry booms overhead, and suddenly the creature is blown away with a flash of light. Izuku has to blink away the spots that show up afterwards, hands fumbling for a purchase when he hits the ground. His mind still fumbling over the fact that wow, he isn't dead.

More light erupts from where the monster had landed, and its only then that Izuku hears the crowd.

"All Might?"

"That's All Might!"

"Can you believe he showed up?"

"He saved those boys!"

"He's finishing it off!"

"I'm actually seeing him with my own eyes."

"He really is stronger than anything else."

Izuku looks over his shoulder, seeing that Kacchan is still alive and breathing, that the crowd's claims had been correct, and almost nothing remained of the monster.

All Might Stands tall, elegant, a wall in between them and the once monster. His robe is a perfect fit, and his hair stands tall in its signature position as it had yesterday. His chest puffs out when he turns to face the boys and the crowd.

"Boys, are you doing all right?" All Might chuckles to himself, and Izuku tilts his head at the rather weak pun.

"I'm fucking-" Kacchan starts, but lurches over, panting. Faintly, Izuku can see sweat pouring over his skin. The crowd takes that as their cue to rush over, a slew of people helping Kacchan to a more comfortable position. They say words of praise and commend him for his bravery.

Then they look to Izuku, who is just as mentally exhausted, and their praise fades.

"What were you thinking, you could have gotten hurt?"

"You need to make sure to stay out of situations like that."

"I hope you don't go doing that again."

Izuku tunes them out, focusing instead on All Might, who keeps his distance from the crowd. With a sigh, Izuku shakes his head.

He can't be a mage. He might as well leave now.

So he does, slipping out through the crowd, who hardly gives him a second glance after their quick scolding, and speeding down towards the library where his mum works.

He feels drained, like this morning all over again.

* * *

Izuku pours over the familiar book, "An Anthology of Myths and Monsters," over a small table. The rest of the library is near silent around him, with his mother organizing and recording books in the back, and Mrs. Suzuki watching over the front.

He's reading about Siren's. The humanoid, semi-aquatic creatures that live in the far southern island kingdom of Auria. Izuku is pretty sure the gorgons rule that island, at least publicly. Most other kingdoms don't follow the whole king and council setup their kingdom has, if they have a ruling presence at all. Some kingdoms were more patches of land set aside, the creatures within too powerful to ever conquer, and a little too sentient to take the land without it feeling like stealing.

"Young Midoriya." A low- recognizable voice sounds from behind him, and Izuku jumps out of his seat.

"A-all Mi-might! What- what are you doing h-here?" Izuku swallows as his idol takes a seat across from him, gesturing for him to sit down as well. "N-not like you can't be here, b-because me trying to tell you that you can't would be s-stupid. Anyone can go into the library. Unless you destroy the books or are too loud then my mom or Mrs. Suzuki kicks you out."

"Ah. I wanted to talk to you, young Midoriya." All Might fiddles with a necklace, and Izuku swallows.

"I'm sorry about the water sprite. I put Kacchan and everyone in danger. I shouldn't have grabbed onto that necklace." Izuku stands and bows. "I know I put everyone in danger. I won't do it again."

"Young Midoriya," All Might says. Izuku freezes immediately, tensing in anticipation for whatever would come next. "while your actions did lead to the corruption escaping, we both know that you didn't mean for anything like this to happen. Secondly, it was you who saved young Bakugou."

"N-no, you saved him." Izuku states, looking at the floor. All Might hums, and then goes to pull out one of the chairs. Izuku only looks up at the familiar sensation of magic swirling, and finds his idol shrinking, sagging down into a much frailer looking man.

All Might sits down in the chair, gazing at Midoriya. "Do you want to know why I have to use illusions?"

Izuku nods his head immediately, doubt twinging in him as All Might frowns. The mage is silent as a scarred hand reaches to pull his robe aside and lift the shirt underneath. Izuku can't help his gasp, staring at the concaving flesh on the left side of All Might's body. The scar is old, long faded, but the way the skin twist unnaturally is still very, very obvious.

"It's a terrible sight." All Might huffs, startling Izuku out of his staring. "This is what being a real mage will get you, sometimes worse, and that's even with magic. I lost half my stomach and innards, and nearly my heart as well; if I'm being honest, I should have died then, but thanks to a benevolent healer, I was saved. That healer slowed my aging process, making sure this would only kill me half as quickly. But also meaning I lived twice as long. I outlived half my friends, my family. Because of it, I was reduced down to this, and have to use illusions that others make in order to preserve my image. I can barely use my own magic most of the time.

"I wasn't ready to put you up to a job like this, especially not when you don't have runes to defend yourself." Izuku opens his mouth to respond, to say he understands, but All Might keeps talking, plowing forwards, with a small smile. "But I was far too focused on that aspect. I was in the crowd, when you charged forwards. I was hesitating to step in, because I had already used up just about as much magic as I could for today; and then you went running in."

All Might stands, looking down at Izuku, his thin grin spreading wider. "You inspired me, young Midoriya, to take action. You have a hero's heart, one that could inspire and save many people in this world. So, I'm sorry, for telling you that you couldn't be a mage."

"I- uh- um- ah." Izuku splutters as tears rise. He knows they're in a library and this really isn't the right place for any of this, but this is _All Might telling him he could be a mage._

"Young Midoriya." All Might says gravely. "Would you be willing to become my successor?"

"I- what?" Izuku's eyes blow wide, his tears pausing momentarily at the confusion.

"My magic is something special, a type that can be transferred from person to person. I have been looking for the right person to pass it on to. And I think I may have finally found that."

Izuku doesn't think his eyes can open any wider, and his mouth is opening and closing without making a sound. Eventually he manages to get out a choked, "M-me?"

"If you say yes." All Might stands. "I can give you a day to think about it, if you want."

All Might moves as if to turn and walk away and Izuku shouts out, "Yes!"

All Might's eyes are wide, and Izuku feels a little embarrassed for shouting in the library- but tears were streaming down his face and he isn't going to try to stop them because _this is his chance to be a hero, a mage,_ at last. "Please. Let me be your successor."

"Okay." Is all that All Might says, and Izuku's tears just pour down harder as he collapses inwards, clutching his chest. He can't keep the tearful smile off of his face, even as he's forced to his knees because his legs can't seem to remember what it is to hold him up.

* * *

Izuku has just learned more about magic in the past in the past hour than school had ever taught to him. Sitting across from All Might in the near abandoned library, listening to the man explain his magic and how it worked to Izuku's awaiting ears.

His mum had come out of the back room- long after Izuku's breakdown- and came to say hello and figure out who Izuku was talking to. All Might introduced himself as Toshinori, and Izuku's mum had given Izuku a pointed glance. Izuku nodded, telling her that he was fine as it was. Still, he saw her from the corner of her eye, subtly peeking to make sure they were still there from time to time as their conversation had continued.

All Might explained that his magic was one that could be passed from one being to another, gathering strength with each inheritance. The origins of the magic were obscure, all that was known was that it came from the fae.

Izuku had blinked at that. The fae were known to be the very race that had helped human rise to the place they were now- although the exact history surrounding that is impossible to find anywhere around here- but getting a type of magic that can be passed on indefinitely? Something about that clashed with what Izuku knew of the fae, even if he isn't sure exactly what it is.

The most fascinating thing, All Might said that the magic was sentient. _Sentient_ magic. The fanatic in Izuku jumped up and down at that notion. All Might also mentioned how although there is a being attached to the magic, it can't show itself in any physical form, or any mental form either. That was where that explanation ended, All Might saying that to really understand Izuku would actually have to wield the magic.

From there Izuku learned that the magic had only two main things it could accomplish. It could absorb outside energy in order to strengthen the user's body physically, or it could reach out to other's magic and control it.

Of course, there wasn't a set way to do this, at least according to All Might. Apparently, the method was different for each user. But there was one consistency, every time you used the magic a price must be paid in turn. Equal exchange, a trademark of the fae.

"So," All Might prods gently after he's done. "what do you think?"

"I," Izuku breathes out, voice trembling. "I don't know what to say."

"I don't mean to push this on you so fast." All Might sighs. "It's just that you never know when time might run out." All Might quickly grins though, continuing with, "But hey, you still have about a year of physical training before I would be able to comfortably pass it on to you."

"Physical?" Izuku asks, tilting his head.

"A mage's body has to be just as sharp as his magic. Or else they'll get crushed in no time." All Might explains. Izuku nods silently, because while making perfect sense, he has to wonder why no one else has ever brought it up, not just to him, but to his peers as well. Magic is magic, and its enough to get someone through any trial, that is the litany that he has been fed. A part of Izuku chides himself for not thinking of it sooner.

All Might seems to pick up on Izuku's thought, going further. "Not many consider that when trying to become a mage. It's actually why many fail the entrance exam into Yuuei in the first place. With this magic though, you have to be in your best condition."

Izuku's eyes flicker to All Might's left side, and All Might follows his gaze. "If you really want this, then we may as well start a training regimen tomorrow. I would just have to talk with your mother and ensure that this is fine by her standards as well."

Izuku's mouth goes dry. His mum would never agree to this, or at least, Izuku can't see her doing so. She is already uncomfortable with him talking to All Might- not that she knows it's All Might- given the way she hasn't moved out of eyesight since seeing them.

"Anything wrong?" All Might asks, and Izuku gulps.

"N-nothing- I mean- we should probably go talk to my m-mum now. I-If you want."

All Might considers it for a moment before nodding. "Now is as good as any time."

Izuku gives a shaky grin for show as he leads All Might to his mum, praying that she wouldn't say no to All Might's offer.

* * *

Shouto sits on the small ledge he has claimed, the one where he can survey the patch of land his father controls. It's one of the few places he can be at peace for any length of time, before his father inevitably tracks him down and hammers him for not being where he is supposed to be.

The wind blows, the ever-present tang of ash and soot making Shouto's face crinkle as he tries in vain to eradicate the scent from his nostrils. His wings are extended, soaking in whatever sunlight they can find, given the clouds. The barren rocks are just as empty as ever, the rocky crevice Shouto slept in only just visible. No animals come near the fiery crags of Endeavor's land, and nothing grows either. It suits Endeavor.

Shouto frowns when he turns to the east, the green of a distant forest pricking at his eyes.

It isn't the forest of old- they're too far away from the border for that to be true- but regardless, Shouto has to force himself to look away before his eyes start to sting. His tail lashes, smacking against the ground.

Another gust of wind rattles by, and Shouto picks up a hint of fire and scales. He searches the sky, and sure enough, he can see an outline of Endeavor's form flapping in the distance. Shouto narrows his eyes, noting how Endeavor sweeps the land in a search pattern. He's looking for Shouto.

Fear rises first, his father never wants him besides for 'training' or for an unnecessary rant or a 'lesson' of sorts. Shouto's claws dig into the ground as he suppresses his urge to flee. There is no escaping, he knows this, not with Endeavor's connections and the threat of potentially killing his mother hanging over his head. Dread comes next, souring his mouth and making him draw his wings in. His muscles are already sore enough from the days before, his red and white scales littered with old burns that won't fade before the new ones make their way onto him.

As his father snakes closer in the sky, Shouto's chest starts to twist, tying itself up in knots as his claws sink further into the ground. He swallows, trying to shove the painful knot down, to a place he can deal with later. Endeavor is never one to allow for weakness. Any signs of it are covered with flames and fury and vengeance, doubly so for Shouto.

His father is within eyesight, and Shouto stands, shaking himself off. His chest is still threatening to drag him under with the weight of its knots, but he makes himself stand tall regardless. Endeavor might be more lenient if he thinks Shouto is strong, or he would just be crueler. Nothing is ever certain.

Endeavor is landing behind Shouto before he quite realizes it, and he turns, body tense.

"We're leaving. At sunset." Endeavor snorts, claws melting the ground beneath him. "We need to prepare for the Yuuei exam."

"Yuuei exam?" Shouto questions cautiously, mind flashing back to a boy with freckles and a toothy smile who wanted to be a hero. "For guilds?"

"Yes, for guilds." Endeavor rolls his eyes, his voice dripping with derisive embers. "You need to be certified if you ever want to beat him."

The "him" is unquestionably All Might, but Shouto can't see any benefit in becoming certified under the guild system humans had set up.

"Only certified mages can reach a wide enough audience in these times to become legends. And I'm expecting you to pass the puny entry exam they hold for Yuuei's program with ease." Endeavor hisses, raking his eyes over Shouto's form. "Once your certified, you can go wherever you please without questioning. Then you can really fulfil your purpose."

Shouto huffs, eyes narrowing as he lashes his tail so hard the spikes get stuck in the ground. "I won't be like you."

"No," Endeavor says, making Shouto pause. "you'll be so much more."

* * *

Izuku gasps for air, his body burning in places he never imagined it could. Him and All Might are in a part of the forest that Izuku has never been to, mostly because it's been devastated for years now, with fallen trees and magical residue flooding the area. All Might says it's the perfect spot for training though, and Izuku almost wishes they were anywhere else. For the last hour or so he has been working on moving the relatively smaller sections of trees to one corner of the area.

Although, even with this exhaustion, Izuku is honestly just glad his mum agreed to let All Might train him at all. Her and All Might had talked in private, and then she had pulled Izuku aside.

" _Izuku," His mum looks down with a slight frown. "you're sure you want this?"_

" _Mum." Izuku says with a watery chuckle. His mum raises a hand to hold his cheeks, her eyes softening in understanding._

" _It's a silly question, I know. But you have to let your dear mum worry about you sometimes." Izuku leans into her touch, smiling at her words._

" _You'll just worry anyways. Besides, I'm nervous enough for the both of us."_

" _I doubt that." His mum teases back, moving in for a hug. "But he seems trustworthy. No man could be that awkward but earnestly polite by just trying. I got his credentials and verified them with the official records too."_

" _So…?" Izuku leans away, with a hopeful grin._

" _Yes." His mum puts her hands over his own. "You can train with him as long as you don't miss any school or get permanently injured in any way. I also want Toshinori to join us for tea sometimes so I can get to know him better."_

" _Thank you." Izuku can't help the joyful sob that rips out of his chest. He grabs his mum's wrists to support himself as the tears continue to flow. "Thank you."_

" _Please," His mum is shaking, and Izuku knows she's starting to cry as well. "I've never supported your goal, I might as well start trying to now."_

Izuku thinks back to that with a smile, turning to face All Might, tilting his head in question.

"Water break." All Might says, patting the space next to him on the tree trunk he's sitting on. Izuku plops down with a sigh, gratefully accepting the canteen All Might hands him. The water is cool and refreshing as it runs down his throat, and Izuku's shoulders drop with relief.

"You're doing good so far, Young Midoriya. There are only eight months left before the exam though, so I'm afraid I won't be able to prepare you as much as I would like. But don't fear, we can still whip you into shape." All Might fishes in his robe for a few moments, pulling out a folded piece of parchment. "I have a training regimen inscribed here for when I can't be around. I'm still registered with the guild, so I have quests that I must take on, but I will inform them of my situation and see if they can't cut me some slack. I don't want you coming here when I'm not here to supervise." All Might looks over at him, and Izuku realizes he should probably say something.

"G-got it." Izuku takes the parchment out of All Might's hands and looks at it. Stretches, warm up exercises, running, muscle building, and then cool downs, Izuku's eyes go wide at the sight of it before taking a deep breath and reaffirming his convictions. If this is what it took to become a mage, then Izuku would do it, heck, he could do even more outside of this- didn't All Might say they were short on time? "I'll do my best!"

"I know you will." All Might smiles.

From there, Izuku's days fall into a pattern of sorts. Wake up, go through his exercises, go to school, do more exercises in school when he can get away with it, give his body a few hours of rest after school before going through his morning exercises again. There are the days All Might is available, showing up to Izuku's house with a sheepish smile and almost always getting dragged inside for tea with Izuku's mum so she could check up on Izuku through him. There are the few weeks where Bakugou is more on edge and snappy than usual, taking it out on Izuku with an array of more soul crushing rants. Izuku trains twice as hard, pushing himself until he literally collapses- that had led to a stern talking to from both his mum and All Might.

As the months blow by, faster than Izuku ever imagined they would. Izuku can see his growth. He sees it in the way he can run longer and longer without needing to stop for air. The way he's had to increase the number of warm ups and cool downs he does just to get some sort of effect from them. But most of all, from the way the once devastated clearing is now pristine and lush.

Izuku has spent months clearing out the debris: the trees, the trunks, the stick, the weeds, the poisonous plants. He's also helped All Might fend off the occasional bear, wolf, and even a swarm of little ethereal dragons that had been determined to make their home there. Bit after bit, he had cleared it all away.

He can't remember being so proud of himself. And really, that's the difference. He's proud of himself for once, of what he's done. Every time he clenches a muscle or goes for a run, he's reminded of the strides he's made, of how much closer he is to his goal.

Of course, he still has leagues to go. The annual exam for Yuuei applicants is only a month away and he's still not strong enough to accept All Might's magic. He needs to keep pushing, past the sweat and the tears, because if he wants to pass that exam and be the hero he's always wanted to be, he needs magic.

So, when All Might comes to his door one day after school, a stranger in tow, Izuku is thoroughly surprised.

"This is Recovery Girl." All Might introduces the hooded figure. Izuku gapes openly, "You mean Recovery Girl as in the Revivalist Mage?"

"I can introduce myself." Recovery Girl lowers her hood, revealing folded tan skin and short gray hair. Her eyes crinkle as she smiles, pointed ears twitching in amusement. "But yes."

Izuku opens the door wider for them, his mind racing faster than he can keep up with. This is a mage that's said to have been around before the kingdom was even formed. One who has said to have saved countless lives across the world. All Izuku has read and heard about her magic is that it is ancient fae arts, and he is dying to learn more. But that isn't exactly appropriate.

"Izuku," His mum calls from her room. "who is it?"

"It's Toshinori, and he brought a friend."

"I'll be right down. Can you set them up at the table with some tea?"

"Yeah." Izuku calls back to her first before turning back to All Might and Recovery Girl. "H-here you can come in- you already heard that, but I might as well say it again- I'll shut up now."

"You have a lovely home." Recovery Girl compliments, and Izuku nearly ascends as reality crashes down. Recovery Girl is here, in his house, and with All Might- well, Izuku has gotten marginally better with that fact but still. As Izuku turns though, he catches the way Recovery Girl's eyes flicker away from him and to All Might.

"Th-thank you." Izuku says, brushing off the stare as best he can.

As he makes tea, he can't help but mutter under his breath, naming facts and legends to provide an outlet for his nervous energy. A watched pot may never boil but Izuku just really really wants it to boil already so they can drink tea and maybe he won't look like such an awkward mess. His mum is still busy, and All Might and Recovery Girl chat idly across the table.

When he finally hears the beginnings of a whistle he takes the pot and pours the water out into four cups, putting the right amount of tea leaves into each one. He passes it out silently, sitting at another end of the table as he looks into his own cup, still muttering slightly.

"Young Midoriya." All Might prompts gently, and Izuku peeks upwards. "I brought Recovery Girl here today to see if I could get your mother's permission to run some health checks on you before I try to pass on my magic." Izuku glances towards Recovery Girl, wondering how close they must be for All Might to openly say his secret.

"I'm really checking to make sure you can even inherit his magic. Since you don't have runes." Recovery Girl pins All Might with a sharp stare as he balks. "Don't give me that Yagi, the kid deserves to know the truth. We both know you were a special case."

"Special case?" Izuku asks quietly, and All Might looks down.

"I-" All Might coughs, wiping the blood away before he continues. "I was runeless to, before my teacher passed on the magic to me. But I have trace amounts of giant and fae blood in me, so that may be why it was able to imprint on me."

"S-so," Izuku swallows, clenching the tea cup harder. "you're saying there's a chance that I won't be able to carry your magic, because I'm runeless. And you didn't tell me until now." He's quivering, some mix of anger and despair flooding his system. After all these months, all the hope and the encouragement, his dream can just be pulled out from under his feet again?

"It's only a chance, a small chance." Recovery Girl tries to reassure him, but Izuku isn't going to listen to false promises. He can't lose this, not when he's so close.

Is this what it's been all about? Building him up only to let him fall? What kind of twisted plan is that? That just sounds like Kacchan except without the burns to accompany it.

Izuku opens his mouth, tears building up in the back of his eyes, preparing to tell them what he thought, but then his mum cuts over it all.

"Toshinori, it's a pleasure to see you again." His mum smiles, bright and cheerful, and Izuku closes his mouth. His mum beams at Recovery Girl next. "Hello, I'm Ms. Midoriya. How are the both of you doing?"

"Well, thank you." Recovery Girl nods, although Izuku is there to match her gaze when she glances towards him. "I am Shuzenji, please to make your acquaintance."

All Might is silent, keeping his gaze on the table. His mum gives him a concerned look before turning to Izuku. Izuku shrugs, trying to look more cheerful than he feels.

"I wish I could introduce myself better, but I'm afraid we've built up the tension well enough with Midoriya." Recovery Girl continues. "Frankly, I've come with Toshinori to see if it would be acceptable for me to run medical tests on your son. I can most likely determine the reason he does not have runes, as well as monitor his general health."

Izuku perks up slightly at that, tilting his head curiously as he peers at Recovery Girl. His mum tuts, shifting her weight to one side as she ponders Recovery Girl's words. "I need to see your credentials with the Health Council. And whatever you do must be within this house within my range of sight."

"Of course." Recovery Girl agrees, as if it was preposterous to suggest anything else. She pulls out a tight slip of protected papers from a pocket in her cloak and hands them over to his mum immediately.

The silence in the air as his mum overlooks the papers is crushing. Izuku taps his fingers along the table in a staccato rhythm as it pervades, refusing to meet anyone's gaze.

"Your credentials are definitely real." His mum notes with an impressed lilt. "But I would still prefer you to do anything you need to in here or the living room."

"I can do it anywhere you wish." Recovery Girl says. For a moment, the thought of refusing it crosses Izuku's mind, but he scolds himself. Whatever betrayal this was, he might as well take the free examination. It'll save his mum money at the least.

Eventually they are set up on the couch in the living room. All Might went to go stand outside, citing a need for fresh air. His mum is in the kitchen, giving the two of them glances in between her work.

Izuku sits limply, following Recovery Girl's instructions without a sound. The awe and novelty of meeting her has run dry, overshadowed by the real chance of all of this being for naught.

"He isn't trying to betray you." Recovery Girl mutters quietly, and Izuku sighs. "He genuinely didn't consider this big enough to bring up."

"So he can watch me fail?" Izuku snaps out before he can catch himself.

"No." Recovery Girl goes to put a hand on his shoulder, but Izuku tenses, flinching away. "It was foolish of him not to warn you of this chance before offering it to you, but in all honesty the chance of this not working is infinitely small, at least for the simple reason that you don't have runes. But you need to give him room, he's just as human as you are."

Izuku sighs again, his muscles relaxing as he realizes what Recovery Girl is actually trying to say. All Might is as flawed as anyone else. He makes mistakes. Izuku knows that, from a logical standpoint, but the side of him that grew up on legends and stories refuses to let his image of the hero go. Izuku wonders if that is why this revelation is so crushing, because for the first time he has to acknowledge that All Might made a genuine mistake.

"Talk to him." Recovery Girl says, and Izuku looks away. "After this, you need to talk to him."

"What did you mean when you said, 'at least for'?" Izuku asks instead of answering. "Is there another reason why this won't work?"

"He told you the magic is sentient?" Izuku nods, and Recovery Girl hums. "It chooses who it wants to awaken too, even after it is passed down. How it chooses is a mystery, since no one has been known to communicate with it, but generally it goes for those with a good heart. I think you'll be fine."

"Thanks." Izuku says sincerely, smiling slightly.

"Now," Recovery Girl smiles. "do you want to hear what I found?"

Izuku nods, fear rushing back into his system. At least this time it was without the anger.

"You have all the basic things that would allow for runes, there's no abnormalities. I can't be sure about this, but I'm guessing no runes appeared because there were no natural runes that could adhere to you."

Izuku's mouth hangs open as he stares at her with wide eyes. She chuckles, continuing. "Yagi told me about your ability to sense magic. It's rare in humans, but not completely unheard of, and every single person that has been recorded with that ability never got their runes naturally. But instead they're known for pioneering the methods used today to inscribe new runes into your body." She pats his knee, her hand rough yet warm. "You've always been able to get there, and I'm sure you'll much farther than you or him can see."

She stands, leaving Izuku on the couch. "I'll go tell your mother."

Izuku stares, his mind still uncomprehending. He… he is…

He wraps his arms around himself, chuckling quietly. Poor little runeless Izuku, runeless, but not hopeless as he's been told for most his life. He's shaking now, crumpling inwards. He doesn't know how to feel. Tears are running down his cheeks but he barely registers them.

All this time, he could have doing something with himself instead of accepting the label that the people around him assigned him. Every doctor he had gone to said there was no stopping it, that he could never have runes, but he should have been smart enough to at least try. He can't believe he had missed a chance to get the magic he needed for so many years. He could have been training with runes if he had ever bothered to try. He was so stupid. Stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid.

But he knows now, thanks to All Might. Izuku's hurt from before fades more until it's only a small tendril. He can feel gratitude, warm and spreading through him, fueled by an underlying wave of determination. He knows now, and he isn't going to let that stop him again. He can keep pushing forward, with or without All Might's magic, to become the mage and hero he's always wanted to be.

Izuku unfurls from his ball, clenching his fist slowly as his tears dry. His mum is beside him, watching him carefully.

"I'm going to become a mage." He whispers to himself, a promise that might as well be forged in blood and steel from its weight.

Out of his sight, his mum smiles, putting a hand to her heart as she recalls the little boy who had spent his days bouncing around the house proclaiming his dream proudly.

* * *

Yagi sighs, managing to keep back the cough that threatens send more blood spewing out of his insides and into his hands. The door opens, and he straightens, relaxing when he sees that its only Shuzenji.

"You screwed up." She tells him straight up, in a way that reminds him of Nana. "You better realize that."

"I know." Yagi says, and he really does. He has known from the begging that depending on the circumstances of Young Midoriya's runeless state, it could be impossible for him to ever acquire any sort of magic, even from Yagi. But he didn't think of its importance until Shuzenji had contacted him, asking if he chose a successor. He should have known what it would mean to Young Midoriya- he's been in the same position as him. He hadn't though, and he must find a way to make it up to the boy. "I don't know how to make it up to him."

"You don't." Shuzenji sits beside him, old and fraying wings poking out of her cloak as it folds behind her. "You apologize, admit to your mistake, make sure you don't do it again, and hope that both of you move past this."

"I forget how old you are sometimes." Yagi says with a smile, earning himself a loose punch in the shoulder.

"That's rich coming from you." She snorts, but quickly her face shifts back into a frown. She puts a hand on his shoulder, and he listens attentively. "He has scars Yagi, not just physical ones. You have to be careful with him, he doesn't trust easily. Don't go breaking him without realizing it."

"I won't." Yagi promises. "Although I think you're underestimating his strength."

"Maybe I am." Shuzenji admits. "You know him much better than I do."

Yagi thinks back to the shadow of anger that had crossed Young Midoriya's face when they had revealed that the transfer may not work. The hurt and betrayal that had shifted into fury, and doubts Shuzenji's words.

* * *

Todoroki sets down, carefully aligning his claws with the ground before closing his wings and dropping the rest of the way. They were in the kingdom north of the Dragonlands, well, it was more of a territory of the human kingdom, but he isn't sure about the specifics of it all.

Either way, they are in the ancestral home of the fae now.

Endeavor calls back his flames until they are smaller than Shouto has ever seen them, taking care not to scorch the grassy plain around them or melt the dirt with his claws.

A forest lies in front of them, massive, vine ridden trees forming a near wall. A mist surrounds the trees, even with the sun glaring down on them. There's a scent in the air, one that Shouto can't quite place.

"Don't say a word." Endeavor mutters, and Shouto's tail flicks, but he doesn't bother to respond.

With that, Endeavor walks up to the edge of the forest with careful steps. When he reaches the boundary, he pauses, bowing his head, and Shouto's eyes nearly fall out of their sockets. Shouto's having trouble processing the sight.

"Guardian of the forest, I seek passage. Endeavor mutters. "I mean no harm. I simply need assistance."

The leaves rustle with his words, picked up by some invisible wind. Music echoes in Shouto's ears, distant voices murmuring at the edges of his ears. Eyes flash from within the forest, and Shouto thinks he can see a vague, animalistic form resting in the shadows of the treetops.

"Todoroki Enji. Endeavor. Keeper of Flame." The Guardian hisses, and Shouto blinks at the mention of Endeavor's true name. Not even Shouto has heard it before, only the surname, and that was only because Shouto shared it. Pity that true names had to be given by their owner before they had any power, then Shouto could finally escape from Endeavor without fear of retribution.

"You have a hatchling with you." The Guardian notes, and Shouto can feel eyes on him. A hand brushes against his cheek, despite their being nothing that Shouto can see, and he draws backwards.

"He requires guidance." Endeavor snorts. "He will do no harm."

"Todoroki Shouto. Mixed hatchling with only a single name." The glare has gotten more intense, and Shouto can feel the spines on his back rise. "Touch nothing, take nothing, harm no one, and you will leave unscathed."

Shouto nods, and the eyes vanish from his scales.

"A guide will be sent." The Guardian fades, snaking off among the branches much like a shadow would from the light.

Endeavor sits, tail idly swishing back and forth. Shouto openly stares at him from the safety of the medium distance separating them.

"When going into other lands you play by their rules." Endeavor growls, answering Shouto's unspoken question. "You need at least one ally in this world. Or else you will be backstabbed by some lesser being who won't dare face you in the light." Endeavor turns, piercing Shouto with a glare and a feral smile. "You will be beyond allies. You will be my greatest accomplishment, my greatest pride."

Shouto grits his teeth, but says nothing. He knows he will never be truly what Endeavor wants, not if Shouto can help it. But Endeavor isn't afraid to pull him aside right now, let alone when they were back in the Dragonlands, and try to brand the idea into Shouto yet again.

The whisper of flapping wings cuts off anything else that may have been said between them, and Shouto looks over the forest to see fire soaring above.

It's a phoenix, Shouto realizes, a mythical bird made of fire. Shouto had scarcely believed that they were real at all. Graceful wings flutter, the flames comprising them dancing gently. Its rippling body gives way to a slim neck and head, a crest of almost red flames billowing out behind it. Gold, blank eyes focus on them with startling clarity. The phoenix lands on orange claws, engulfing yet not burning the grass beneath them. A tail, or rather, the dozens of thin strands of flames that extend behind it, stream elegantly.

"Hello, Keeper of Flames and his hatchling." The phoenix says, without moving at all. "It is a pleasure to meet you. My name is Syr." He shifts, wings spreading as if to take off again. "I am here to guide you to where you need to be." Syr takes off, Endeavor and Shouto quickly following as the phoenix waits for them.

Shouto watches how the mist parts of Syr, the flames quickly becoming a beacon in the fog. Syr glides easily, while Shouto is forced to flap his wings hard with the lack of wind.

"Why are you with the Fae?" Endeavor asks in the way he does when he's trying not to show his full distaste without ever really hiding it well enough to go unnoticed. "Phoenixes are usually nomads."

"Because I want to be." Syr replies immediately. "They gave me something irreplaceable. And I need to repay them for that. Besides, they're all very nice and welcoming."

"A phoenix? Owing anyone anything?" Endeavor rolls his eyes, scales sparking. "What a ridiculous notion."

Syr hums. "It's okay if you don't understand."

"I don't?" Endeavor confirms with an irritated huff, silence settling over the two afterwards. Shouto keeps his eyes on Syr, curiosity pricking at him.

The rest of the trip is silent, Shouto wondering just how large the forest could possibly be.

"Here we are." Syr announces, nodding down at the clearing in the tree tops that had suddenly appeared. There is a wide wooden platform, three times Endeavor's size, resting high up in the clearing. A perfect landing spot.

Syr lowers himself first, but right before his claws touch the wood, his flames start to swirl, converging inwards to reveal a human-like figure. With a stature as thin as his counterpart, brown hair with lighter streaks frames his face, a small braid revealing itself on the left side. The wings and tail are the only phoenix traits that remain, but instead of flames, they are mad of a blending of yellow, orange and gold feathers, with red tips.

Endeavor is the second to land, Shouto following as he takes in the kingdom that has showed itself between the trees below. Elegant houses decorated with plants stretch out into the clearing and beyond. There are crowds of what Shouto assumes are fae that mingle together, and he thinks he can see shops of sorts. It looks almost like a human town, except larger than Shouto has ever seen, and integrated into the forest seamlessly.

"What are you here for again?" Syr asks, snapping Shouto's gaze away from the kingdom below.

"I need a spell to turn me human temporarily, and someone who can help him figure out how to turn human." Endeavor jerks his head in Shouto's direction as he talks, guiding Syr to look at Shouto.

Shouto meets Syr's gaze, focusing on how the gold irises are spattered with flecks of amber. Syr looks away first, turning back to Endeavor.

"If you guys don't mind waiting, I know someone who should be able to find the perfect fae for you. Just please don't do anything." Syr leaps down without a second glance, and Shouto questions just how far they are from the ground. He peers over the edge, noticing that while Syr was walking calmly away, the drop was far longer than Shouto would have dared in such a form.

On that note, Shouto pauses, thinking about exactly why they are here. Endeavor needs him to be human if he wants to take the entrance exam in to Yuuei; they don't allow for anyone too far outside human size limits to participate.

But Shouto doesn't know how to turn human anymore. To be _human_ has been lost throughout years of smacks and snarls whenever a hint of skin showed, through burning memories of the woman with white hair he had called mother, and the siblings whose faces he can barely recall. Humanity has been replaced by muscles and wings prepared to dodge any strike, any flaming projectile that could come his way at random times. With four sets of talons worn sharp from years of scraping against rocks and from sparring- beatings- training- whatever name Endeavor thought for it that day.

Apparently, the Fae could change that.

He barely even knows what certification means. He knows that humans have guilds of powerful mages to help protect the people in exchange for money from the king or council, Shouto doesn't know exactly who pays them. There are also guilds in other kingdoms? Maybe? Shouto thinks that it comes with the alliances that they held with other, smaller kingdoms. The Dragonlands didn't have any branches though. As if any human would willingly live in the Dragonlands when they had the option of living literally anywhere else. Most dragons don't want to live in the Dragonlands. But moving to other kingdoms is a hassle hardly worth the effort; unless it was someone with as much influence as Endeavor.

Regardless of any of that, Shouto would much rather have scales and wings than soft skin and wobbly legs. He doesn't even know if he'll be able to use his magic as a human, or function at all. Ice spikes out of his scales at the thought, and he quickly gets rid of it.

"Here you are," Syr calls out, and Shouto glances up at the sky before realizing that Syr was already on the platform, a woman on his back.

The woman steps onto the platform, revealing her own wings; they were thin and narrow, like those on a dragonfly, but they shone with a faint violet light, with darker designs etched onto their surface. Her dark skin contrasts with the way her violet eyes shine as she gazes at Endeavor and Shouto.

"Thank you for the ride Syr." The woman turns to thank Syr, and Shouto sees that her hair is about waist length, dark strands falling over her wings.

"It's not a big deal Lori." Syr smiles easily, and the two seem to say something more than Shouto can decipher with the grins they are giving each other.

'Lori' turns back to Endeavor, giving him a polite bow. "I am Princess Lorelle, it would be an honor to escort you." Her voice is melodic, like music almost, but there was a forced element to it, a certain stiffness that throws Shouto off.

"Thank you for your hospitality princess." Endeavor smiles, something that churns Shouto's stomach. "Although I'm sure someone such as yourself needs to escort us."

"Nonsense." Lorelle decides. "I am always happy to greet any guests that come to us. Regardless, the only fae here who can help you is the royal magic researcher, and guests aren't allowed inside without a royal escort."

"I see." Endeavor mutters, and Shouto nearly snorts from just how forced the words are. "Where is your palace?"

"Ah, there's an enchantment over it to protect it from visitor's eyes, but you have been here before, no?" Lorelle explains, gaze flickering to Shouto for a moment.

"I have been here a few times. This is his first time." Endeavor grunts, rising to his feet.

"The first visit is always a delight." Lorelle smiles, and Syr nods in quiet agreement. "I do hope I'll be able to hear of your travels as we go." Lorelle steps closer to Endeavor, waving a hand in front of his eyes. Then she walks over to Shouto, and he manages to freeze up instead of outright flinching when her hand got a little too close to his face for comfort.

Shouto blinks as something settles over his eyes, and drowns out Endeavor's voice as he takes in the real Fae kingdom. The clearing is now twice as big as it had appeared before, the quaint houses taking on an elegant appearance. The number of fae alone seems to triple. But that's nothing compared to the building that has appeared in the very center of the clearing.

It is massive, stretching up past the platform they stand on. Massive spires sparkle in the light, banners decorate the sides of the castle. The large door at the front is thrown wide open, but from what Shouto can tell that shouldn't be a problem considering the magic they wield.

"Shouto." Endeavor growls, and Shouto shoots around, lowering himself into a defensive stance. But when he meets both Syr and Lorelle's shocked gazes, he realizes that he isn't in a place Endeavor can openly attack him. Shouto gathers himself up, looking at the ground both in embarrassment and in avoidance of Endeavor's withering glare that spoke of a punishment later. "We're going now."

Shouto nods, keeping his head low as Syr and Lorelle turn away, the former shooting him a concerned glance.

Shouto just tries to focus on putting one claw in front of the other for now.

* * *

Shouto doesn't know what he's expecting from the mage that Lorelle keeps mentioning. He supposes it can't be any more overwhelming than the rest of the fae kingdom has been so far. By now they are a little way away from the main clearing, following a river, to Shouto's relief- the noise of the kingdom had been eating away at his nerves.

The forest is comforting though, a residual hum in the air from the wildlife that surrounds them. Shouto glances in the distant, watching as a shadow flits through the treetops, its vague form shuffling over the leaves in a blur. It's probably the same being that was there to greet him and Endeavor earlier.

"So, what are the Dragonlands like? I've never been there, although I must admit I'm terribly curious." Lorelle's way of speaking still makes his mind pause, her overly formal phrasing accompanied by a friendly yet forced voice is one that Shouto has never come across before. Well, more along the lines that there is sincerity underneath it, just woven in such a subtle way that if Shouto hadn't spent his life learning how to discern what the words of others would mean for him- help or harm, punishment or reward, friend or foe- he probably would have missed it.

To Shouto though, Lorelle sounds like she wants to escape, it's a feeling he can relate to. So, quietly, with his head tilted in thought, he answers. "It's hot. You wouldn't like it there."

Endeavor doesn't dispute Shouto's claim, as if he was really paying attention in the first place. Lorelle tenses though, and Shouto thinks he may have hit a nerve. Syr even gives him a look, and it isn't hostile, but it isn't completely friendly either.

"Not anything against you." Shouto placates. "I don't even like it."

Lorelle and Syr chuckle at that, sharing a look between themselves. Shouto won't be brash enough to ask about it, not like it is his business.

Smoke catches Shouto's eye, and he draws back, knowing the its red hue is one that comes from Endeavor. When Lorelle and Syr turn back, Endeavor's head is raised high, and he's sniffing the air with a disgruntled downturn of his jaw. "You're taking us to a water nymph."

"Is there an issue?" Syr asks, tails lashing. His eyes are narrowed as he looks to the distance. Lorelle looks concerned, putting a hand on She's shoulder as Endeavor responds.

"They're immature. I'd rather not deal with one if I have to." A small tendril of smoke curls out of Endeavor's nose, and Shouto can see an outline of flames licking the edges of Syr's hands and feathers. This is going to escalate if Endeavor doesn't stop. Even Lorelle's wings are fluttering faster than before, Shouto can't figure out what that means but he is assuming it doesn't mean anything good. Shouto extends his own wings out a bit, preparing to flee once the first attack is made, he would rather not get involved in anything if he doesn't have to.

"This "immature" sprite you speak of happens to be the best expert in transformation magic in the entire kingdom Endeavor. However, if you would rather go to one of the Fae specialists then we can turn around."

Shouto almost grins at that; Lorelle has just trapped Endeavor. Endeavor is far too prideful to accept anything he knows to be below the best.

"No." Endeavor grunts. "We can go to the sprite."

"Great." Lorelle smiles, a little too wide to be completely sincere. "Let's continue then." Her hand squeezes Syr's shoulder one more time before letting go, and the flames die.

Shouto treads carefully from then on, watching his company with renewed interest and focus. Nothing else happens though, as the stream continues to reveal a small cave. Shrubbery encircles it, vibrant and green. Moss covers the top of it, seeping from the small cracks showing in the stones. The cave itself is too small to fit Shouto, let alone Endeavor.

"You want to go in first?" Lorelle offers to Syr. "I can give you two a moment." Syr grins and nods before zipping inside. Shouto can hear two voices coming from the cave, but they are distorted, rippling about instead of being clear. He decides to ignore them, watching Endeavor stomp around in a circle before sitting on his haunches, face cross.

Shouto ducks his head away when one of Endeavor's wings snaps upwards, away from the glistening claws, and then curses himself for it, because once again, Lorelle is staring at him with so much concern Shouto can't look in her direction at all.

Shouto slumps, curling his tail around his front talons.

"Shouto?" Lorelle mumbles, suddenly next to him. Shouto flinches at the mention of his true name, flicking his eyes in Endeavor's direction. The larger dragon appears far more interested in glaring at the cave, as if his eyes alone will burn it down.

"Todoroki." Shouto replies softly, because even if Endeavor can listen in on them if he wants, Shouto might as well make Endeavor have to work for it.

"Todoroki." Lorelle nods, sitting down beside him. Her dress ripples outwards, and Shouto notices just then that she is barefoot, dirt and grass stains freely resting on her skin. Shouto blinks, is dirt something that the fae accept on themselves? Or does Lorelle not care? Shouto realizes that Lorelle is waiting for him to do something, so he turns his head back to look at her.

"How was your life?" Lorelle asks, peering into his eyes. "Back in the Dragonlands."

Shouto can feel Endeavor's glare on his scales, he sighs. "It wasn't too terrible."

Lorelle glances through his legs, over to where Endeavor sits, and frowns. "I suppose it couldn't have that bad, considering how healthy you look." Shouto stares at the ground, ready to let the usual justifications given by strangers over Endeavor's behavior wash over him and weigh him down- to let their logic shadow the truth with nothing more than a sharp glance and a twisting in his chest- but Lorelle tilts her head and gives him a sad smile. "Or maybe you look that way because of how it was."

Shouto's claws dig into the ground as he tries to drown out the pounding in his ears and the panic in his stomach. Endeavor must have heard what Lorelle said, and Shouto is just preparing for the inevitable at this point. He is going get smacked around later, roared at about reflexes on how weak he was for showing any sign of hesitation or fear. Burns will cover the wounds, turning his white scales black and the red scales brown. He can already feel Endeavor around him, suffocating him, he can't- he can't- he can't-

"Hello." A monotone voice makes Shouto raise his head. He tries to even out his breathing, take his claws out of the ground, as Lorelle stands and Syr trots out the cave with someone else behind him, but it's useless.

They start talking, and that's when Shouto starts to let things slip by him. His eyes can't really concentrate on anything, letting colors blur. Voices crowd around him, but he can barely understand them and honestly he just wants to growl at them all to please be quiet so he can get his head in order. Char smelling breath permeates the air around him though, and heat sears beside him, telling of Endeavor's presence.

Shouto tries to focus, tries to get himself under control, but his efforts only come with small rewards. He looks attentive whenever he can sense Lorelle, Syr, or the water sprite's gaze on him, and he doesn't move when the sprite touches his scales, only nodding when he thinks a question is being asked.

Slowly though, his claws release the ground and a semblance of calm comes back to him. He makes the icicles that had appeared vanish, tuning in to the conversation piece by piece.

To Shouto's luck, as he discovers, the sprite had wanted to investigate Endeavor first. Now he pokes all around at Endeavors scales, a puff of steam rising up with whenever the clawed fingers meet scales.

"Don't worry," Syr murmurs from beside Shouto, and fear jolts through him, but he's still to disoriented to do anything about it. "I don't think they noticed if that's what you're worrying about. Heat makes you uncomfortable, doesn't it?"

Shouto looks at the phoenix resting to his left, and Syr looks back, eyes glimmering with an understanding. Slowly, Shouto nods, and Syr hums in acknowledgement.

"You aren't the only one whose head gets turned around." Syr says, and Shouto looks down at Syr's forearm, where red lines mar his skin, over twenty of them running parallel to each other. Shouto recalls the legends about phoenixes, that for all their magic and strength, they were not immortal. Like the fae, they could die, but unlike anything else, when they die they are consumed by a mystical fire and burn into ashes, and from those ashes comes a new life. However, phoenixes are unable to remember their past lives by any means and gain a red line for each life they live. And every phoenix has a set number of lives, a number unbeknownst to them or anyone else. Syr's voice snaps Shouto from his thoughts.

"Just try to breathe for now."

"What-" Shouto takes in a breath of air, his voice hoarse. "What did the fae give you? That you could never repay?"

Syr looks over at where Lorelle stands near Endeavor, his eyes truly following the bubbly water sprite- Shouto doesn't remember hearing his name yet even though it was bound to have been mentioned at some point- a tender smile on his face.

Syr's voice is soft, to where Shouto has to strain to hear it. "They gave me a home, a place I can come back to without feeling lost and scattered." One of Syr's tails wraps around Shouto's own. "I hope you can find one too."

Syr leaves Shouto at that, walking over to chat with the water sprite as Shouto blinks with wide eyes.

A home. He has one, doesn't he? He comes back to the same place again and again, even if he doesn't want to. But is that a real home?

Shouto stares at his claws, looking at the way the white scales shimmer next to the glaring red scales of his left, and realizes the only homes he can remember are the warmth of his mother's lap and orange leaves scattering in the breeze as he and Midoriya sit side by side.

"Shouto's dragonkin, half human." Endeavor's voice draws Shouto's gaze, and he glances to see that the rest of the group is looking at him. "I know he can shift, he just forgot how to."

As if Endeavor isn't the one who had made sure that Shouto forgot that. Shouto wants to snarl, but settles for curling his lips instead.

The water sprite strolls forward, to Shouto's tail. Long blue hair is pulled up into elegant strands, a darker shade than the light violet eyes that are examining Shouto's scales.

"Bi-colored scales, hm. Probably an effect of your heritage. Your mother was most likely someone with a strong connection to ice." The sprite pauses at that, taking in Shouto's expression with something akin to curiosity. After a moment he continues though, voice still flat. "If you don't mind, I would like to examine you."

Shouto shakes his head. "You're fine."

Hands touch his snout, and it feels like a pocket of river is flowing where the hands touch. Inside Shouto is squirming, but he stays still so the sprite can do his work.

"I'm Piper." Piper hums, running a hand further along Shouto's jaw. "In case you didn't hear earlier."

Shouto doesn't respond; he can't, not with Piper still feeling Shouto's scales. Syr and Lorelle are talking quietly to themselves, Syr's eyes coming to glance at Piper every few moments. Endeavor is sitting some ways away, tail lashing angrily, and Shouto assumes if he could, his flames would be billowing wildly.

Piper floats down to examine Shouto's wings, peering at the membranes. "When you're human, you might want to sew a scale cloak to protect you. Humans tend to be frail, and the scales would protect you from many dangers. Finding a needle and thread for it can be difficult, but it's not impossible."

Both Shouto and Endeavor turn to stare at him, and Piper looks taken aback by the combined weight of their eyes. "What is it?"

"What Piper meant to say," Syr cuts in smoothly, and Piper relaxes considerably. "was that you don't need to pluck the scales out, just wait until you molt."

Shouto huffs slightly in amusement. Endeavor just snorts and turns away.

Piper smiles, a soft, tiny one, almost imperceptible even to Shouto's eyes. It vanishes the moment Piper looks back at Shouto's wings.

It doesn't take long for Piper to move onto Shouto's tail, brows furrowed as he traces the curved spikes resting on the sides of it. After he's done there, he hovers around Shouto silently for a while longer, contemplating.

"You are incredibly stiff. It will be a challenge to get your mind and body to enter and accept any transformation, even with a proper potion." Piper twists his head to look at Syr. "Would you mind making Endeavor's potion, medium efficiency will work fine."

"Medium?" Endeavor asks, and Piper blinks, seemingly unaware of growl laced in Endeavor's voice.

"My potions at full strength would quite possibly make you permanently human. I can make one at full strength if that is what you want, but I am assuming this is only a temporary state for you."

Endeavor backs down begrudgingly, instead eying Syr as the phoenix walks in to the cave entrance. Lorelle follows Syr a mere moment later, nodding at Piper.

Shouto's attention is drawn back to Piper though, as watery hands press against his claws. Piper looks up at him and then backs up slightly, until Shouto doesn't have to crane his neck to see him.

"Close your eyes." Shouto does, after watching Piper do the same. "Now imagine your core, who you are essentially. You must grab onto that core and concentrate, feel how it rests inside you until you are in tandem with it. From there, let it flow, and connect to that flow. Only then can you bend it to your will."

Shouto hears something shifting, and cracks open his eyes. In front of him, Piper has transformed into a phoenix of sorts. He looks identical to Syr, except for the crystal-clear water that comprises his body in place of flames. Dripping wings spread outwards and talons connect to the ground with a muffled squelch.

" _It can be difficult at first."_ Piper admits, voice ringing in Shouto's head. _"You have been trapped in one form for a long time. But it should get easier after your first shift."_

Shouto pauses for a moment, taking in Piper's form, before closing his eyes once again. He searches, for whatever this 'core' is inside him. But as he thinks, his thoughts only get more muddled. He wonders how he had ever considered this transition simple, because humans, as he knew them, are so far apart from dragons. How can he equate Midoriya's smile with Endeavor's toothy smirk?

So, Shouto tries a different approach. Shift already, he tells himself, trying to imagine shrinking down. It has no effect. He pulls his wings in tight, making his body as tight as possible. Maybe if he just makes himself smaller the transformation will follow.

Piper clicks his tongue, and Shouto sees that he has moved back into his original body. "That isn't going to work. Transformation is not about your body, it is about the mind. Yours is far too focused on one singular aspect of humans, instead of the big picture." Piper pauses, moving to float just above Shouto, peering down with eyes that are dappled like a flowing stream. "So, Shouto Todoroki," Something in Piper's voice echoes inside Shouto, reaching down and touching something he can't quite grasp. "what makes you human?"

Shouto opens his mouth to respond, only to find his mind has drawn a blank. His mouth closes, and Piper hums softly at him.

"Think about it." Piper advises, drifting back towards his cave, disappearing among the moss and vines.

Shouto relaxes his wings, moving to stand up and walk around, try to clear his head so he can digest Piper's words. Part of him wants to lay down, but laying down is tiredness, tiredness is weakness, and dragons don't show weakness.

Humans. What are humans? Damp grass slides under his claws, growing colder as ice starts to form across the white of Shouto's scales.

Humans are small. He remembers how tiny his siblings had looked sometimes, when he was in dragon form.

Humans are fragile. He recalls the burns marking his mother's skin, washed over eventually by tears and screams and boiling water.

Humans are gentle. He can taste the bitter flavor of the plants Midoriya had brought him without hesitation on that day, feel the relief they had brought, sense his mother's hands running over his scales or skin in calming patterns.

Humans are-

"Shouto." Endeavor's growl makes Shouto halt, claws digging into the dirt. "Get on with it we do not have all day."

"I know." Shouto grits out, keeping his voice neutral.

"Good." Endeavor huffs, keeping his gaze on Shouto. Shouto turns, trying to get his mind to ignore the holes being burned into his tail by Endeavor's glare.

He can do this. What are humans? What part from humans does Shouto have inside him? His eyes narrow, mind drawing back to a moment that had been long forgotten in his memories until now.

" _Da- Dai- Dai-" Shouto moves his lips, his elongated snout struggling to pronounce the syllables in his brother's name. He sits on the floor of his brother's room, even against his mother's rules about being in his dragon form inside the house. "Dai- Daibi? Dabi. Dabi!" Shouto grins, his wings flaring out in excitement at the nearly correct pronunciation. He's still getting the hang of talking in something that isn't Dragontongue._

" _It's Daichi." His older brother says with a dry grin. The purple-red scales on his face glimmer as he does, and curiously, Shouto sticks his nose out to touch them. "Shouto!" Daichi shoves Shouto away, craning away from the touch. "C'mon your scales feel weird."_

" _But." Shouto droops, tail flicking crossly. Daichi's scales feel nice. But Daichi doesn't mind as much if Shouto is human. Perking up, Shouto shifts quickly, leaping into Daichi's arms._

 _Daichi sighs as Shouto wraps his arms around his chest. Shouto looks up into his blue eyes with a small smile and is met by another sigh. "You're as touchy as ever."_

 _Shouto hums, burying his face into Daichi's chest. He likes the gentle warmth that comes from this contact, soft and pleasant. Even the cool scales running along Daichi's neck and arms that brush against Shouto as Daichi begrudgingly draws him closer are a welcome sensation._

 _After a moment, Daichi pulls away, setting Shouto down on the floor in front of him. Shouto brings up a hand to bat as his red and white strands, looser and thinner than the thick maroon spikes that cover Daichi's head. Daichi watches with faint amusement, quietly, his brother looks off to the side, but the resignation that floods the air is enough to get Shouto's attention._

" _How do you do that?" Dabi asks, looking at his hands, where the fingernails extend into slight claws. "How do live like that? Being human and dragon." The word dragon leaps off Daichi's tongue like its poison, but Shouto doesn't take it too much to heart- father is something mean and twisted that Shouto fears and despises with everything he has._

" _I don't know." Shouto mumbles, shrugging his shoulders. "I'm sorry."_

" _Nah it's fine. I just can't really see you being like that old bastard- don't tell mom I called him that in front of you. But yeah," Dabi gives Shouto a sad smile. "You're just… more than he is, ya' know? Like, you still feel like humans do."_

" _Feel?" Shouto repeats the word, tilting his head in misunderstanding._

" _Like- you actually have emotions and stuff. You care." Daichi ruffles Shouto's hair, scratching the scalp in a way that makes Shouto lean further up, chest rumbling._

Shouto snaps his eyes shut, focusing hard on grasping not his sense of self, but his emotions. The part of him that likes to reach out and feel for others. Empathy- that's the word he's looking for. He thinks back and back and back, even away from Endeavor and towards the other dragons he's met, Endeavor's friends and allies, and all he recalls is their gruff attitude, the way they had shrugged or snarled everything off.

That's what separated the human from the dragon inside him. It has to be, Shouto can think of nothing else. He imagines himself shifting, reaching down to connect with others in only the way he's seen humans do it.

Energy is stirring up within him, enshrouding him. It buzzes under his scales, and he almost feels as if he is flying, with how light it's making him. His muscles go limp, and for a moment he panics, but the energy surges and it's so calming, so familiar, that he lets it take control. The feeling of his muscle and bones contorting is a distant one, but Shouto gets the feeling that it would be nauseating to watch. The energy overtakes his mind, pulsing, humming until his vision momentarily flickers.

When he opens his eyes, he does a double take. Everything is so… large. Bushes that barely reached halfway up his legs are now at his height. Trees stretch farther above him than he remembers, and the air nips at him in a way it never had before. The grass is soft under his now hands and knees, the sense of touch now far more acute. Strands of hair fall in front of his face, their presence strange and slightly unnerving.

Too late, he realizes he hasn't taken a single breath, and his chest is burning. He gasps, kickstarting his lungs into heaving as they let air into his body. He can see the figures around him vaguely, his vision blurry. His ice prickles to the surface, but it burns against his skin in a way that makes him hiss through his teeth.

"Finally." Endeavor growls from somewhere behind him.

"Well done." Lorelle hums, something warm and soft draping over his back.

"There you go." Syr's quiet voice sounds from nearby, the warmth exuding from him a nice contrast to the blistering waves that are coming from Endeavor.

"Can you sit up?" Piper asks, and Shouto complies, although his head starts to swim as he does. He blinks, the figures surrounding him coming into view. He still is on edge from the way they all stand above him, and he wraps the cloth around himself tighter as he hunches slightly.

"Syr, can you get them both clothes? I have extra in the back." Piper says, and Syr nods before going. Then Piper hands Endeavor a glass bottle, a pale blue liquid swirling quietly inside of it. "Drink this."

Endeavor stares suspiciously at the bottle for a moment before reaching out with two claws to snatch the bottle. He throws it up and swallows it, glass included. Shouto looks away when he starts to see the shift happen, focusing instead on the stubby endings to his fingers.

When he hears a groan come from Endeavor's direction, he dares a glance. Shouto whips his head away the moment his eyes land on Endeavor's human form, mind swarming with memories and emotions from almost a decade ago. It's those hands that had brought so much pain to him and his family.

Syr walks out again, this time holding a variety of clothes and fabrics. He sets them down in front of Shouto with a slight huff, spreading them out so Shouto can look at each. "Pick whatever you want, I know Piper won't mind. Lori is pretty good with style if you want her advice." Syr says, turning slightly to address Endeavor next. "I'll get some larger clothes for you."

Shouto stares down at the selection in front of him, wide-eyed and still slightly confused. He doesn't have a clue how any of this is supposed to go on his body.

"Here, you're going to need undergarments first." Piper floats over, pointing at a gray pair of sort-of-shorts.

"They're unworn," Lorelle adds. "Piper keeps spare clothes for any customers." Shouto nods, not really understanding the importance of that fact, given that all of the clothes appear clean enough as it is. Slowly, he reaches for the garment that Piper had pointed out.

"Your legs go through the holes." Piper floats upwards slightly, and Shouto is forced to stand as he follows the instructions. It takes him a moment to find his balance, and then another minute to learn how to hold that balance while putting the clothes on. When the top band of the sort-of-shorts is snug around his waist he looks down to the other clothes.

"Normally, human men where a combination of shirt and pants." Lorelle bends over, and to some relief, Shouto realizes he comes up to her chin when they are standing. She sorts out what Shouto assumes are such items. "These should fit you nicely."

Shouto picks out the ones that look to be the simplest, a white collared shirt accompanied by thin brown pants. The pants he gets on easily enough, but the shirt takes several tries. By that point Syr returns with clothes for Endeavor, a selection far smaller than Shouto's is. Syr dumps the clothes at Endeavor's feet and then moves back to stand near Piper.

"You could also choose a robe or cloak to go over it all." Lorelle suggests.

"Blue would look nice on you." Syr suggests, Piper drifting down to stand by the phoenix. Lorelle hums in agreement, and Shouto follows her gaze to an elegant navy cloth that looks like it would reach Shouto's ankles. He picks it up and manages to drape it over himself correctly without much help. It has a hood that flares out into a layer of fabric over his shoulders. The rest of it actually falls behind him, but as he rolls his shoulders forward the cloak follows, encasing his body completely. The navy is lighter on the hood and the shoulders, darkening on the section below that.

"We're done here." Endeavor snaps, a mix of a question and a statement, from behind Shouto, making all of them turn.

"Yes." Piper replies calmly. "The potion should last two lunar cycles. If you want to shorten its effects, you can make a brew of moonflower with sprite tears as a base instead of liquid amber. Although that will cause you several days of soreness and discomfort, so it is not recommended."

Endeavor looks impressed, even if the expression is quickly erased and replaced by a grimace. Shouto still can't keep his eyes focused on his figure, only viewing him through his peripherals.

Endeavor is taller than any of them here, even Lorelle. Flames still cover his face above his mouth and under his chin, but not much else. He almost looks bare. He has a thick brown shirt on, and black pants. Both of them strain and stretch, struggling to fit over his skin. His hair is the same shade as his scales, thick and blocky.

"Todoroki." Piper draws Shouto's attention. "Do you know what triggered your transformation?"

"Empathy." Shouto answers, his tongue tripping over itself in a struggle to form the correct words.

"I do not think that was it." Piper says matter-of-factly, earning a wave of disbelief on Shouto's half. "But whatever it was, it will most likely not be the same trigger for your dragon half. Transforming back will probably be more difficult than this was, but the same principle applies."

"Ok." Shouto nods, bowing slightly to all three of them. "Thank you."

"No problem." Syr smiles, tails waving back and forth.

"I enjoyed our time together." Lorelle chuckles, her wings fluttering slightly.

"I was paid." Piper says simply, earning a swat from one of Syr's wings. "It is the truth."

Endeavor watches, not making a move until Syr swirls into a ball of fire, expanding out into his phoenix form.

" _I can take you to the border."_ Syr offers, flames flickering gently.

Shouto remains silent, waiting until Endeavor sighs and accepts the offer with a muttered, "Fine."

Syr flaps into the air, and Shouto tenses as flaming claws come to rest on his shoulders. Whatever happens after that is a distant thing, Shouto hyper focusing on the flames far too close to his face and scar for comfort. They don't burn, or even singe, but Shouto is ready with his magic prickling under his skin. When they take flight, Syr holding one of them in each claw, Shouto doesn't bother to see what the sky truly looks like from a human's perspective, not when he discovers that some of the panic fades when he closes his eyes.

The wind over his face is nice though, even if it stings more than usual. When they land, Shouto misses the feeling.

" _Good luck."_ Syr offers before flying back into the fog that surrounds the forest, leaving Shouto and Endeavor on their own.

Endeavor leads the way as they walk. It takes Shouto a few steps to fall into a rhythm that feels natural, but soon he is able to keep up with Endeavor.

Endeavor is rambling about something, but Shouto doesn't bother to listen. They follow a brown path now, one that leads to a small village they had flown overhead earlier.

Shouto looks down at his hand, pale and clear and so very naked without any scales. He thinks about words like _home_ and _empathy_ and looks back to Endeavor.

That is the reason Shouto has been chained to one place his entire life, why his family, and then him, were broken down and left for ruin- or worse, built up into something they never wanted to be. But- but- but, if Shouto can break free, without consequence to his mother, he can build a life for himself. He can be free, and make enough to support mother on his own, to grow strong enough to cut Endeavor off completely.

Getting into this program- Yuuei's certification program- is the first step.

If Shouto can make it all the way, then he can finally be free. He clenches his fist and grits his teeth, wishing he had a tail he could lash.

Whatever it takes, Shouto will make it into Yuuei.

* * *

Izuku fiddles with the straps on his bag nervously as he sits on the edge of his bed. The traditional carriages that transports the examinees to Yuuei would announce themselves when they arrived in the town.

Izuku looks down at his hands, wondering if the runes would ever accept him. All Might had said it would take time, but Izuku doesn't have much time left. He needs magic to pass the exam, he's not naïve enough to assume he could pass without it- he hasn't been that naïve since he was four.

"Izuku." His mum calls. And he's on his feet and in the front room she has the chance to say anything else. When he sees her though, her head is bowed.

"They're here." His mum says, as if the words hurt her to say. "The exam carriages. I know how much you want to do this, and I won't stop you. B-but, promise me," His mum looks up with water eyes. "promise me you'll come back."

Izuku can feel his own eyes well up, and he surges forward to wrap his mum up in a hug. "I'll be fine mum. The exam is only about a week in total, and it will only take us a day to get there from here." Izuku clutches at the edge of his mother's shirt, pulling her closer. "I won't be like dad. I'm going to come back."

"I know." His mum pushes away, only so she can place a kiss on his forehead. "You only got your messy hair and freckles from him- well and your stubbornness. You're mostly like your dear old mum though." His mum chuckles, tear filled but genuine.

"Seriously." Izuku sniffles. "I'll be back before you know it."

His mum nods, pressing her forehead against his one last time. "I'm counting on it."

Izuku nods, trying to wipe away some of his tears. As he nears the door, he turns one last time. "I'm going out for a bit."

"See you soon Izuku." His mum replies through her own tears, her hands waving at her eyes slightly.

As Izuku closes the door behind him, he swallows, nearly choking on the ball of fear that's lodged itself in his throat. He can hear people in the distance clamoring, a sure sign that the carriages were here. He gives his home another look, knowing his mother is along is in there all alone. But as much as he wants to go back in there and dry her tears, he must go now, or else he might miss them, and the carriages don't pick up stragglers. Izuku walks forward, shoulders hunched as he sets his still damp eyes ahead.

When Izuku finally gets around the small crowd and in the small group waiting to load the carriages, his hands are shaking, and his breaths have become deeper in his lungs' desperation to find more air to fill themselves so he can distract himself from his own thoughts.

Thankfully, Bakugou is already inside one of the seven carriages that are lined up. Or at least, given the faint shouts Izuku can hear from one of the carriages in the front he can assume so. He still gets a few odd looks and not so subtle sneers, but he's more than used to that by now.

By the time Izuku's turn comes, most of the crowd has thinned out. Leaving him alone with the small dryad. The dryad doesn't wear any clothing, save for a variety of tools strapped around his torso. Bark-like skin scratches against the paper as they move the quill down one line.

"Name and age?" The dryad asks, considering Izuku with hollow spaces in his wooden face that served as his eyes.

"Midoriya. 15." Izuku answers, and the dryad notes it down.

"You're on the third carriage." The dryad instructs. "Now, please do not move from the spot you chose once entering the carriage. If there is any sort of emergency you can simply shout, and the supervisor of your carriage is sure to hear you. It is only about a seven-hour trip until we reach Shuuten, not including the stops we make along the way. Any questions?"

Izuku shakes his head- although he really would like to know how these carriages can make it to Shuuten in only seven hours when the normal trip took about a day- scurrying off to the carriage he was assigned. There is a ramp leading up to the large opening in the back, and as Izuku pushes the fabric covering it aside, he gulps.

People crowd the space of the carriage, and Izuku is forced to tiptoe and slide his way around dozens of bodies before finally finding a spot for him to sit and clear his head a little bit.

He takes a deep breath, remembering what All Might told him. Just have faith in his abilities, and he would be fine.

Hours later, the carriage rattles with every bump in the road, Izuku keeps having to apologize to the people he falls against. At least Izuku doesn't have to worry about Kacchan. But then again, the sudden bumpiness of it all is not enjoyable in the slightest.

Another dip in the road sends Izuku pitching forward, but miraculously, before he can hit the floor, he just stops. Faintly, he can feel a feather light touch against his back. It guides him back into his original seating, where he collapses with a sigh.

He turns to his left to thank whoever had finally taken pity on him, and quickly finds himself losing his ability to speak as he does so. The girl next to him is just so bright, his body just sort of…forgets how to function.

"Hey, sorry if I startled you." Her rosy cheeks shine with her smile, genuine and wide. "It seemed a little cruel to let you hit the floor again, and besides, it can't be helping your luck either."

"I- um- thank you." Izuku manages to stutter out, ducking his head down as he feels it get hotter.

"No problem." The girl chirps. "I'm Uraraka Ochako. Nice to meet you."

"You can't just give your full name like that!" Izuku squawks, immediately slamming his hands over his mouth when he realizes just how loud he was. He forcibly lowers his voice to a near whisper, "It's dangerous."

Uraraka tilts her head for a moment, her lips parting as the realization hits her. "Oh. I forgot about that. Humans are really careful when it comes to their names, aren't they?"

"Humans?" Izuku repeats, staring at the girl in question. Nothing about her outwardly appeared inhuman, but she did have a rather heavy brown cloak covering most of her body, along with the big pink scarf wrapped around her neck.

Uraraka smiles shyly, her cloak moving as a small wing pokes out from underneath, around her lower back. She turns, showing off a hint of a much larger wing on the other side, this one situated closer to her shoulder blade. The tips were a light red, shifting into a chocolate brown that speckled out into a white base. "I'm not really human." She admits like it's strange, a weak chuckle following it.

"T-they're beautiful- your wings are." Izuku blurts out before he realizes what he's saying. His arms are creeping up to cover his burning face as Uraraka beams at him.

"Thanks!" Izuku can't help but hide his face more, and Uraraka giggles. "You're adorable."

"Not really." Izuku mumbles, looking at the floor of the carriage. His ears were burning by this point.

"Are you kidding?" The girl asks him playfully but doesn't stick to the topic any longer. "So, um…"

"Midoriya." Izuku supplies.

"Midoriya, looks like we'll be getting off soon." Uraraka looks to the doors of the carriage, and its only then that Izuku realizes they have stopped.

"Y-yeah." Izuku swallows. Once he's off this carriage then there's nothing between him and the grueling process that All Might had warned him about.

"You're nervous too?" Uraraka sighs in relief. "But all we can do is give it our best, right?"

Izuku nods, his leg bouncing up and down as the carriage doors open and the other people begin to climb out. Once he goes though, his bag somehow ends up tangled around his legs, and he is sent careening forward towards the ground. He feels Uraraka's fingers press up against him immediately this time, and instead of the nasty fall he is lowered safely to the ground.

"Thank you- again." Izuku says with a bow before moving off to the side so other people can get off themselves. Only when they're standing side by side Izuku notices that Uraraka isn't really standing at all, just gently hovering a mere inch or two away from the ground. "H-how…?" He can't really form words, but Uraraka seems to understand his question.

"My hands and feet can disrupt gravity." Uraraka explains. "It helps me out with flying."

"That's incredible." Izuku can feel his grin growing wider, and he has to actively restrain himself from pulling out one of his notebooks and going straight into an interrogation. Uraraka probably won't appreciate that at all, and Izuku does not need to be making enemies here. But does she have full control over the gravitational disruptions? Are they automatic or is it more of a conscious effort to keep them on? Does it have something to do with the uneven placement and size of her wings? It might be a way to counterbalance air forces in the air if she can extend the disruptions over her entire body.

"Wow." Uraraka comments, and Izuku's head shoot up from where it had been lowered in his accidental mumbling. "You're really smart!"

"I- um, not really." Izuku manages to squeeze out a sentence of sorts as he fights and loses the battle to not wrap his arms around his head again.

"Of course you are." Uraraka waves away his denial. "No one's ever gone through that many observations just about my gravity disruption." She winks at him, and Izuku can feel a part of his soul leave him in shock alone. "Some of those were spot on by the way."

"T-thank you." Izuku says, smiling. Honestly, he's mostly glad she hadn't gotten mad at him for it.

Before Uraraka can say anything else, a shout makes them both turn towards the front of the line of carriages, along with the entire body of people.

"Hey examinees! Get in a single file line if you wanna make it through the portal! Or else you'll be left behind in the dust." The man's yellow hair, rising upwards in an almost curve, is immediately recognizable to Izuku, even from a distance.

"Present Mic, the Roaring Mage." Izuku whispers under his breath, to where Uraraka can't hear him. He recalls the more recent books written that had mentioned him, and the occasional whisper that passed between the people in his town. His most potent weapon is his voice, which is mostly because he is part banshee. Izuku suspects there are runes somewhere that help with the sound amplification though. From some of the reports given about the strength of Present Mic's screams, it seems far too powerful just to be a banshee scream.

"We better go then, huh?" Uraraka chuckles, pulling Izuku away from his internal monologue. "It be kinda a waste to come all this way and then just not make it to the actual guild."

"Yeah." Izuku agrees, swallowing as he imagines the future where that happens. All Might would be so disappointed- if he wasn't disappointed enough already. The two of them slip into line easily enough, the examinees stretching farther back than Izuku can see. There has to be at least 300 people, and these are only the beings living in the human kingdom.

Izuku swallows, hands clenching around his bag as he thinks of what is coming.

* * *

Shouto treads carefully after slipping out of the portal they had made him go through. He still feels out of sorts, even after a few days of being human. The loose shirt and pants he's wearing feel strange against him, even more so when combined with the long black coat he's wearing on top of it. He feels trapped, and would like nothing more than to rip off all the clothes and go back to the form he is used to.

But this is his chance to escape from Endeavor at last, he isn't here to ruin that for himself.

He stands in a completely different area than the outskirts of the capital. It's emptier than the city streets, nearly all of it being set on a grassy plain. To his left, circular walls form an arena, to his right, a dome shaped building rests. In front of him though, lies a castle. The style appears ancient, yet the stones forming the outside walls don't look more than a few weeks old.

A swarm of other examinees surround him, and he tries his best to weave and dodge the bodies. Even with the layers of clothing, every brush against another human is enough to send instinctive waves of panic down his back.

They're being herded towards a building, Shouto remembers it is called a dorm house, at least by the lady who was guiding them. She had been on the carriage Shouto rode here, after hearing Endeavor's explanation of how the examinations worked. The ride here had been peaceful for the most part, even with the variety of beings making noise around him- most of them hadn't come near him, given his silence.

Something zaps in the air, and Shouto hears a sharp cry of pain from a girl in front of him.

"What the hell was that?" There's a lisp to her voice, and Shouto tilts his head to try and hear it better.

"Sorry," Shouto recognizes that voice, a boy who had sat in the same carriage as him. The entire ride that boy spent somewhat bragging about his status as dragonkin. Shouto speeds up slightly to be nearer to the conversation. He can't help himself, not while his entire body is peaking with curiosity about someone like himself. "but hey, not like I meant it. Friends?"

"You don't exactly have a way with first impressions, do you?" The girl asks. "I'm Jirou."

"I leave a wonderful impression thank you very much." The dragonkin huffs. "Kaminari Denki."

Kaminari it is. Shouto furrows his eyebrows, already he was looking to be far different than Shouto is. What are your parents like? Shouto wants to ask. What is your element? What can you do?

Are you really the same as me?

Shouto doesn't know how to ask any of that though, and he reckons that it really doesn't matter anyways. He trudges ahead, leaving Kaminari and Jirou to their introduction. He shakes his head, trying to regain his senses. What does it matter if there are other dragonkin, he knew there were bound to be others somewhere, and had never thought too much of it before now. Besides, he has a goal. He can't lose sight of it.

The group, a couple hundred beings, file in through the doors into a spacious entryway. There are two sets of stairs against the back wall, leading up to the other 4 floors of the building. There are pieces of furniture scattered appropriately across the room, accompanied by rugs and banners.

"Okay." The woman says, cracking a whip into the air. Silence floods over the crowd, each of them attentive as the woman continues. "To any who don't know, welcome to Yuuei." That gets a small chuckle from mostly everyone. Shouto doesn't understand what is funny about it though.

The woman introduces herself as Midnight, telling them that due to a larger influx of applicants than previously, space will be a little cramped for housing. Each floor is reserved for another part of the kingdom, with the top floor for Shouto's section from the North, the fourth floor for the central, the third for the west, the second for the east, and the room where they were standing is going to be for the southern area.

Apparently, the other floors are a collection of smaller rooms, and each room will have ten occupants in it, all of the same sex. Everyone will be receiving a small bed to sleep on, as well as blankets.

It's here in the explanation that someone walks into Shouto's shoulder. He turns, frowning slightly as he looks into the mismatched eyes of…something.

"I'm terribly sorry." They bow, but all Shouto focuses on is the way their hair is shifting, conforming from its unruly state into a neat bun. "I was distracted."

"…It's fine." Shouto states, watching as her eyes change from red to grey.

"I'm trying to get a good viewpoint on Midnight." They explain, a small doll morphing in their hand. They clench it nervously, looking towards Midnight. "She seems like a good model for a human form."

Shouto makes a small noise in the back of his throat that he thinks is one that conveys his understanding. However, the way they continue says otherwise. "I am an alchemist. I can make almost any matter as long as I have the proper materials, and that includes modifying my body."

"I see." Shouto says, wondering if her clothes have any importance to her. The low-cut shirt with a black tank top underneath it, accompanied by an elegant skirt, might as well be useful in alchemy, it is only logical. The bracelets most likely are, given that they all appear to be a metal of some kind.

"Oh, I cannot believe I forgot myself like that, I am Yaoyorozu Momo." Yaoyorozu holds out a hand, clawed tips receding into human fingers.

Shouto takes it and shakes it. "Todoroki."

"Why are you taking the exam?" Yaoyorozu asks, and Shouto's lips twitch downwards.

"I wanted to." He replies. "And you?"

"Similar reasons actually." Yaoyorozu smiles. "I think it will be nice to get to know others across the land and not just within Pyrha- I mean the Dragonlands."

"You live there?" Shouto's snaps, his tone harsher than he meant it to be.

"Yes?" Yaoyorozu is puzzled, at least she is from the way she peers at Shouto, eyes narrowed slightly. "Alchemists lived there before the dragons migrated."

"I didn't know." Shouto supplies, feeling stupid.

Thankfully, Midnight calls for the group to move to their floor, and Shouto is saved from more conversation as Yaoyorozu moves away with the group. As she goes though, he happens to catch one last bit of skin on her arm color over from gray to tan.

He wishes he could do that, somewhat, to just be able to concentrate and change what you looked like entirely. He could be anyone he wanted to be.

* * *

Izuku rises the next morning out of habit, when the sun hasn't even broken over the horizon yet. Surrounded by strangers in the cramped floor, his makeshift bed creaking underneath him, Izuku gets a wave of homesickness. He grits his teeth, trying to chase away the image of waking to his mother's smiling face, the forest he had grown up in only a walk away.

He moves instead to his bag, pulling out the clothes All Might had given to him the day before yesterday, after telling him to eat a lock of his hair and that subsequent confusion. The shirt has sleeves that reach Izuku's wrists. The pants are also long. There is also a hood to go with it all, as well as some other extra bits like a sash. Izuku puts everything else away for now, keeping the hood on top for later.

All Might has warned him about his runes, about the fact that there might be people who recognize the runes when they appear, and not exactly for good reasons. However much that triggers Izuku's fears, All Might reassured him that as long as he keeps his skin covered, he should be completely safe.

If the magic ever decided to accept him. Izuku isn't sure what the trigger is, or what he has to do to get approval, but he hopes he can do it before the exam is over.

Izuku creeps past the hundreds of other beds, making sure not to trip over anybody's bags. When he gets outside, he releases the breath of air he had been holding in. At least now he can get in a good run before the exam starts. Yesterday their escort, the dryad who had introduced himself as Kamui Woods- a mage Izuku hadn't heard of for once, said that they were free to move outside the dorm, as long as they didn't go past the perimeter separating it from the rest of the campus.

If Izuku squints, he can see through the magic that sits in between the rocky spires that circle around the area. By this point, he is sure that to almost every other human, the space in between them is clear. But Izuku has also spent the time since meeting All Might realizing he isn't exactly normal.

He can see magic in a way that no other human can, sense its presence and shape. He can't believe it had taken him 15 years to realize that it was something unusual. Although, he can admit that the ability on its own isn't exactly something extraordinary. Sure, it let him navigate the charm ridden woods outside his home and be a bit more perceptive than most people, but other than that it was just there, letting the promise of magic float just outside his reach.

Izuku releases a breath, reaching down towards his toes as he feels the muscles in his legs stretch. That doesn't matter right now. Whatever happened in the past Izuku needs to let go for this examination. He can't go tripping up just because of his past insecurities. Not only for himself, but for All Might.

 _Blow them away._

Izuku must live up to All Might's expectations, he has to prove that he was worth the time, the effort that All Might put into his training. He sits, leaning down towards his toes.

With every exhale, he imagines another one of his fears drifting away with the breeze. It's an old method he hadn't used in a while- normally he doesn't have to, he can ignore his fears well enough on their own- given to him by an elderly woman who lived next door. She had said that it helped her a lot, when she thought a little too much about joining her husband. The woman had beautiful flowery runes stretching up and down her legs. Izuku swore as a child that the plants gravitated towards her, welcoming her wherever she stepped.

Izuku leans towards the other foot. It was hard watching her go, when her time came. But he supposes it had been a good lesson for the 6-year-old him.

Izuku circles his arms around, feeling his shoulder crack slightly. He takes one more deep inhale, releasing it through his nose. He starts to jog from there, trekking to the boundary and then following the edge. He stops after about 9 laps, just when he's hit the point where his legs start to feel like lead. If this were any other day, Izuku would have kept pushing, but he can't exhaust himself before the exam even starts, that's just common sense.

From there, he does more stretches. Some lunges and push-ups are thrown into the mix, with one suicide run just to make sure his blood is up. He might have done more, but he hears others start to awaken inside, chatter seeping out through the walls. He might want to try and get the washroom before it gets to cluttered, especially with the sweat clinging to him.

Thankfully, the washroom is still empty when he arrives. He runs cold water over himself and scrubs where he needs to. Toweling himself dry, Izuku slips into the clothes All Might gave him, the sleeves cling with the wetness of Izuku's skin, and he adjusts them a few times until they're truly comfortable.

He slips by a few more people, sticking close to the walls and ducking his head. He still can't help the tenseness in his muscles as they wait for Kacchan to rear his head now that he is back inside. It is honestly a miracle that he's managed to avoid Kacchan's attention thus far, and Izuku is determined to keep it that way.

He makes it back to his bed without any incident- nobody saw him trip over that bag so it didn't happen. Sitting, he takes the time he has to watch the other people as they walk by him. He catches a glimpse of Uraraka's hair and quickly determines that she is too far away to call out to without sounding weird and awkward.

A blond-haired boy comes down from the upper floors, a cane at his side. There is also an elegant red and gold cape covering his back, and an imperious tilt to his chin. If Izuku is being honest though, the being at the boy's side is more interesting to him. About two feet taller than Izuku, twisted horns poke out from their blue hair. Their four eyes trail the boy meticulously, the purple irises standing out against their charcoal-esque skin. Six claws rest on their large hands, all eight of them. A tail sits still behind them, a curved stinger ending it.

Probably poisonous, even if Izuku can't determine what on earth a creature like that would even need poison for. It might be there to make catching prey easier. Although the closest thing Izuku can compare them too is a demon, and demons certainly don't need much help catching anything.

The boy struts to the washroom, the being following him. Once he has left the main room, Izuku hears whispers being flown around the room between friends. Words like "Prince" and "Guard" reach his ears, and he blinks. He never thought that the title of prince would carry so much weight still. It's not as if the title has any political significance anymore, with the council around. Izuku sighs though, as the realization hits him. The prince is likely to have years of experience and training that many applicants don't have access too, which makes him even more of a contender.

Regardless, the sun is just about to be above the horizon, and the written portion of the exam was said to be taking place between the time the sun is fully risen and when the sun is midway.

Izuku starts to go over the magic, kingdoms, and creatures he knows by heart, as well as herbs and helpful artifacts. What is on the written exam is just as much a mystery as the rest of the exam, but Izuku hopes that his knowledge is enough to scrape by. He can't exactly think of anything else they would test on, given the nature of being a mage.

He brings his blanket over his head, trying to block out some of the noise that has erupted as the others realize they have very little time left at all.

Izuku breaths in. He lets it out as Kamui Woods comes in to tell them that it is time to go. He can do this. It's just one test.

* * *

Shouto emerges from the testing building with something strange worming in his gut. He can't describe the emotion exactly but its unpleasant and coiling tighter by the second. Shouto knows why it's there. The last question on the written exam.

The exam was already difficult, in that Shouto didn't study as extensively as he should have, and his writing was sloppy from inexperience. Endeavor had taught him human writing, but only in the sense of using dragon materials to write. Adjusting to human hands had taken Shouto a good amount of time, and even then he couldn't write as quickly as he wanted to.

The last question though, that had thrown him off kilter.

 _Why do you want to become a mage?_

 _Shouto stares down, not comprehending for a moment. Then grips the pen tighter. He knows why he wants to be a mage, but that is not what Yuuei is looking for. It takes him a while, but eventually he comes up with something that is half sprinkled with truths in order for him to hopefully escape notice._

" _I want to be a mage so I can help others. I have been chained down to one spot for most of my life, but that isn't where I want to be for the rest of my life. If I can become a mage, I can go and do the things I want to do, help beings who are chained like I was. That's all I want."_

Shouto doesn't have time to dwell on it though, not with the next part of the exam incoming. Right now, they're being herded to an arena of sorts, almost twice as big as the dorm building had been, and shaped in a circle instead of a block. With ever section now here, they have five proctors watching over them as they walk. Shouto thinks there must be at least a thousand being here taking the exam.

Shouto doesn't feel afraid of them though, not in the same way he is afraid of the people judging his efforts. He knows he can more than likely beat most everyone here, and most likely get through the obstacles thrown at him by the physical part of the exam. Desire, more than fear, tugs at him. He wants this more than almost anything else. It's suffocating almost.

Nearly as suffocating as the crowd feels as they walk through a small entrance. Shouto only notices once he is inside the arena, but there are seats lining the arena walls, packed to the brim with people. Why so many people want to watch this is beyond him. But it's no matter, there are only about ten pairs of eyes he needs to appeal to today. The nine judges and Endeavor.

Midnight is back to talking, standing on top of a large hill taking up most of the arena.

"Welcome to the yearly Yuuei entrance exam." She pauses, letting the audience roar in approval and excitement. "Now, we have a stunning 1,257 hopeful applicants this year, yet only 600 of them will be accepted. But I'm sure that not what this lovely crowd is here for." She grins, and Shouto narrows his eyes. "You're here to watch the three trials our participants will undergo in order to judge their merit as future mages."

The crowd roars again, and Shouto is glad he doesn't have his dragon hearing still, his ear slits would have been pounding in agony. Even the examinees have started whispering among themselves.

"Our first trial is one of skill." Midnight continues with glee. "Our little examinees will be entering an underground passage beneath this hill, much larger than it looks from the outside. The first person to make it to the other side wins and subsequently. However, only the first 200 to make it through will move on to the second and third trials. The rest of you will be judged by this trial and your written scores.

"To our audience, don't worry, you'll be sharing the viewing system that our judges are using, with commentary from yours truly." Midnight bows as the people in the stands applaud. "Now to our contestants, gather at the white line- not over it or else you'll be disqualified- and get ready to go."

Shouto looks ahead, watching the hill Midnight is standing on opens up a wide opening near the bottom completely on its own. The examinees are crowding towards it, not crossing over a white line that Shouto assumes is where they are supposed to start. He hangs back though, knowing that charging head first isn't the way to go. At the back of the crowd with him, he can see Yaoyorozu and the one other girl from yesterday- Jirou. There is also another figure, but all Shouto can see are tufts of dark curly hair sticking out from their hood. The sight pulls something nostalgic up in him, but he can't figure out why.

"Start!" An ear-splitting shout cracks through the air, and the crowd charges forwards into the dark tunnel. Shouto runs, ignoring any thoughts about his competitors.

He doesn't have time for that if he wants to win.

* * *

Call Izuku crazy- he probably shouldn't even be thinking about this at all given where he is- but he swears that Todoroki is here. He caught the bi-colored hair in his peripheral vision and had to restrain himself from seeking it out before the trial started. The hair was the exact shade of Todoroki's scales, and since he was dragonkin the chances of that being his human form were pretty big- also, how many beings had red and white hair spilt perfectly down the middle?

Izuku ducks under a screeching bat-like monster that flies at him, narrowly avoiding its claws. Yeah, he really shouldn't be distracted right now.

If it really is Todoroki, they can talk after the match. Izuku should focus on surviving for now. At least this section of the tunnel has some dim lighting.

Another bat creature swoops down at him, and this time he rolls mid-sprint, bruising his back. He manages to scramble to his feet rather smoothly though, so he'll consider it a win.

He's not doing too bad right now, there are still a couple hundred people in front of him at least, and honestly now would be a really good time for All Might's magic to accept him.

Three bat beast swarm him, and he uses the cave wall to push himself away from them just in time. A part of him wilts as he catches the bright light of Kacchan's explosions far ahead, probably just blowing the creature to bits instead of having to dodge them like Izuku does.

Izuku has to focus on what he can do better though, because he is pretty sure this is the final stretch- then again, he also thought that in the last three areas. The first area had been a pair of golems- golems that had been frozen to the ground by the probably Todoroki and then fallen over to block the path for everyone else. The next area had been a pit with narrow pathways crossing it. The third area was a surging river with some razorback eels living in it. The next had been a minefield, where Izuku had put his agility training into good use. The area right before this tunnel of bat creatures had been a giant area of quicksand.

The tunnel is widening now, and Izuku can see an open cavern ahead, filled with struggling contestants as they pushed against… walls of magic.

Izuku grins, not believing his luck. This was an invisible maze of sorts, built on by normally invisible blocks of magic. Magic that he can see clearly. He races ahead, running around pockets of examinees struggling to find the right path to the exit.

Izuku weaves and runs around the blocks of magic easily, jolting at Kacchan's enraged shout when he catches sight of him. He feels giddy, shooting past the probably Todoroki with only a second glance.

Although, as he reaches the exit, and sees that there is only one more tunnel before the true exit, Kacchan screams again, and explosion firing off behind Izuku.

Izuku is running as fast as he can, but he still feels the heat, the energy as Kacchan flies in the air, cursing all the while. Izuku is prepared for the shoulder grab Kacchan is so fond of though, and darts to the side at the last possible moment. His arm singes from the heat of Kacchan's arms as he falls just beside Izuku.

Izuku keeps sprinting, even when he can hear the sound of ice behind him, and continuous explosions that Kacchan uses to propel himself forwards.

As the light from the entrance blinds him, he can see ice at his feet, and he fears that the probably Todoroki might have beaten him.

The crowd is roaring as Izuku comes out, their cries making him shrink down even further as he catches his breath.

"The winner of the first exam, I present to you, Midoriya!" Midnight shouts, and the crowd screams with her.

Izuku feels his breath leave his chest, and almost collapses right there from joy and relief.

He's done it. He can't believe but he has done it somehow.

He blew them away.

* * *

Shouto lets out another frosty breath of air, feeling the chill that has settled into his bones. Human bodies got cold so much more easily, usually he could let about twice as much ice before he was this incapacitated. They have five minutes to prepare for the next trial of the exam, and Shouto is planning to use that to try and get his body temperature back to normal.

"Todoroki?" Shouto's eyes widen, freezing in an entirely different way because _he knows that voice_. He hadn't seen him in the first trial, but he had heard the announcement and hoped- and also dreaded. He remembers their afternoon, their tree, their shared moments of happiness.

Mostly he remembers how he abandoned Midoriya.

"Todoroki?" Shouto turns, and Midoriya is simply standing there. Little has changed, at least when Shouto looks into his eyes. They still shine an emerald green, with bits of darker hues swirling around as well. His hair is messy, but fuller than it had been. Freckles dominate his cheeks more than ever.

Then Shouto looks at the rest of Midoriya, and realizes just how much he's missed. Midoriya is nowhere near thin like he was before, if the solid muscles on his arms are anything to go by. His stance is different too, shoulders tilted forwards and his body ready to react.

Far too late, Shouto realizes some of Midoriya's guarded look can be attributed to the fact he hasn't spoken a word.

"Sorry- sorry- I shouldn't have bothered you. Probably just mistook you for someone else- I'll just- leave? Yeah, yeah." Midoriya mutters, starting to back away.

"Wait." Shouto says, frowning at the smooth nature of his human voice. He still isn't used to it yet. It's missing the gravelly undertones Shouto has grown up with. "You were right. It's nice to see you again Midoriya."

In an instant, Midoriya's doubt turns into a blinding smile, almost bright enough to make Shouto shy away. "It's nice to see you too Todoroki. I'm glad it's really you."

"How did you recognize me?" Shouto asks. "Human and dragon forms are quite different."

Midoriya chuckles, little snorts accompanying it. "Have you seen your hair? It looks just like your scales."

"I haven't." Shouto admits, leaning forward so he can get a glimpse of the strands. They're dual colored in the same way his scales are, and Shouto is surprised he hadn't noticed that before now.

Midoriya smiles again, and Shouto feels warmer both inside and out. In the distant, someone shouts that they have a minute left.

"I heard from Uraraka that the next trial might be a team exercise. Would you want to partner together?" Midoriya suggests, and something in Shouto's chest sinks.

While he's glad- and confused- that Midoriya seems to have forgiven him for the sudden departure all those years ago- or at least not mad enough to bring it up, Midoriya has only reminded him of why he's here.

"I'm sorry." Shouto looks away, unable to watch the way Midoriya's face falls. "I can't afford friends here."

"…Okay." Midoriya sighs, and even though Shouto isn't looking at him, he can certainly imagine the expression Midoriya is making.

"Time for the second trial!" The Midnight announces, and Shouto shuffles out with the crowd, putting some distance between him and Midoriya.

There isn't a speck of ice remaining, but Shouto feels cold, numb even.

He has to win this though, he has to make it through, he has to at least make it into the pool of candidates that stayed at Yuuei to be trained. He can't do that if he's accounting for someone else…right?

* * *

Izuku is fine, he is perfectly fine and certainly not feeling useless and small because Todoroki pushed him away. He is going to pass this next trial and at least make it to the finals so that he can pass and start working towards certification.

Izuku concentrates on that, pouring his attention onto Midnight's words as she makes her speech and away from the dual-toned mop of hair sticking out in the crowd.

"Now, as many of you are probably wondering, I might as well say I am in fact a demon." Midnight declares, and the Izuku's peers fall silent. "A Cambian and Succubus mix if you want to be specific. And I'm sure there are a few demon-like individuals among you examinees and plenty more in the crowd watching your examination."

The crowd cheers at that, and Izuku lets his brain run through the many things he knows about demons rather than calculating just how many people are watching them in this moment, let alone for the last trial.

Midnight continues with a grin, and Izuku is close enough to see a hint of pointed canines. "And there is an even wider diversity of creatures just within this crowd. Acceptance is a foundation of this academy, even more so in this grand time of peace between the nations of our world. If any of you want to make it anywhere near being a certified mage under Yuuei, or any other academy in any other kingdom, you'll need to know how to work with others. Other people, other species, other cultures, other ways of life, you'll have to work with them, adapt to them, and accept them. So, for this trial, you will be randomly placed into groups of four, each one of you from another kingdom, and be playing a little game we like to call capture the flag.

"Each team will be assigned one circular plot of land surrounding the edge of the arena. Each area has its own flag in the center. The goal is now to invade other team's spaces and take their flags back to your own space. The team with the most points at the end will win the round. Now, points are assigned by the color of the flag. The blue flags are worth 5 points each, while the red flags are worth 10. The one purple flag is worth 500 points. The twist? The team with the winner of the first trial will be assigned the purple flag automatically."

Izuku blanches as the examinees turn to him, one person after the other seeking him out to pin their stare on him. He knows what they're thinking, anyone with that purple flag will win no matter what. They all will be after him, him and only him. He wishes the ground could open up right below him, it might just be better than this.

As Midnight starts to talk again, the examinees look away one by one, and some of Izuku's terror seeps away. He swallows. If he wants to help people, he has to get through this exam. He looks back up at Midnight, taking a deep breath to help stop his hands from trembling. It doesn't quite work, but it's all he has for now.

"Now, you can only send in two people at maximum to attack another team's area. But you do not have to keep anybody in your area. Magic is only allowed to be used inside an area. All magic is acceptable as long as it is nonlethal and not used with intentional harm but remember the rule to keep your physical stature around human standards. Everybody understand?"

No one raises their hands, and Midnight nods in satisfaction. The crop fastened at her waist comes out with a flash, smacking the board that had been behind her as she stepped aside. "Your teams are listed on this board as well as what area you will be defending. You get 3 minutes to set yourselves."

When no one moves, Midnight laughs. "What are you waiting for? Have at it."

With that, the examinees almost move as one, Izuku getting pushed around slightly as everyone surged forward. It takes him a while until he can actually see the board. It has a vague picture of the arena from above, circles drawn around the edges. Each circle has a caricature of the flag inside it, with a list of names underneath the flag. Midoriya seeks out purple, some of the fear that had faded resurfacing as he finds it, and "Midoriya" written neatly underneath it.

As he walks over to his circle, he repeats the names of his teammates. Tokoyami, Honenuki, and Hatsume. He can't tell anything about them from their names alone, but as he sees the purple flag with them surrounding it, recognition comes over him. Honenuki had gotten 5th place in the first trial, Tokoyami had gotten 7th; Izuku can't remember what place Hatsume had gotten in, but that doesn't matter much.

As he nears the circle, he gets a good look at his teammates, and can't help but be impressed. Tokoyami stands just a bit taller than Izuku does, given how the feathers on his bird-shaped head slope upwards. He wears a long black cape over his shoulders, and Izuku can just see a hint of talons where feet should be poking out from the bottom edge of it. In his shadow, Izuku can see yellow eyes flashing.

Honenuki is quite literally nothing but a skeleton, brown armor strapped over his shoulders and chests. His skull, is clearly inhuman, his jaws and teeth protruding forward, his teeth pointing outwards, ending in razor sharp points. The back of his skull has a thin row of spikes running down it, and the spikes continue downwards from what Izuku can see of his back. His fingers and toes end in sharp points as well, each arm and leg having seven of each clawed appendage. He doesn't have eyes, but shadows flit around, almost like a ghost of flesh beneath his exterior.

Hatsume is something completely different, a flash of colors and machinery. A brown cap with flaps in the front and sides covers her head; light pink fur lines the edges of it. Goggles rest over her eyes- well what seemed to be eyes- wait a moment. Izuku's eyes widen as he realizes that Hatsume is an android. A sentient, cybernetic machine. Fiber strands of hair peek out from under her- his- their- their hat, curly and short.

A thick shawl rests over their shoulders, clasped together at the base of their neck. It's the same shade as her hat, with light pink fur lines the edges just as similarly. They have on a long-sleeved shirt much like Izuku's own, except cut a little lower and a greyish blue compared to his own white. Beige shorts poke out from a thick sash tied around their waist, the sash colored in the same fashion to both the shawl and hat. Their shorts bulge, the many pockets almost overflowing. Their legs are smooth, glowing orbs for joints and thick wires connecting the plates of various metals that comprise the primary pieces of their limbs.

"Hi." Izuku greets the rest of his teammates with a nervous smile, knowing that he's the reason they all have a giant target on their backs for this trial.

"Hello." Tokoyami greets with a sharp nod, his beak quirking upwards.

"Hey." Honenuki gives him a wave, and Izuku notes how the bones aren't actually connected, just floating within millimeters of each other. "I hope you're comfortable with bones."

Hatsume runs over to Izuku and takes his hands, grinning. "Heya! You got some talent. You'll be perfect to help me show off my babies!"

"Oh, I'm o-okay with bones." Izuku tries to slide out of Hatsume's grasp without revealing just how flustered he is. "B-but babies?"

"My precious children of course!" Hatsume shrieks, and pulls up an arm. There's a small bracelet wrapped around her wrist, simple silver with a small orb. Hatsume taps at it though, and it unravels itself, whirring slightly as it comes undone and creates a tiny bug-like creature. The orb now sits in the center of its back, tiny strands of silver flapping as wings while other pieces become razor sharp spears that comprise the limbs of the metal bug.

"Impressive." Tokoyami mutters, Honenuki humming in agreement.

"This little guy can lift up to 30 pounds." Hatsume notes smugly as she taps it again, and it slips back on her wrist. "And its system comes from my core," Hatsume points to her chest, where Izuku can see the barest hints of an orange light peeking through her clothes. "so I can send it signals mentally and it'll follow them."

"That's really cool H-hatsume." Izuku smiles, before catching himself. "Do we want to say our names, gender and abilities J-just so we can get to know each other before it starts? We'll have to at least know something about one another if we want to stand a chance since we have the purple flag- sorry about that by the way. The easiest teams to attack will be the ones without good teamwork- which is probably the point of the challenge, that's just a guess though. But rings on the other side of the arena are hard to attack without risking your own base, hard to get back in time to defend the area if need be. Risk/reward is a factor-"

"Midoriya?" Tokoyami asks quietly, and Midoriya slams a hand over his mouth.

"S-sorry. I do that a lot. Can't really shut myself up." Midoriya mutters, his voice getting quieter with every word.

"Hey, don't say that about yourself." Honenuki puts a hand on Izuku's shoulder, the touch light- the only reason Izuku hadn't jumped, since that's where Kacchan always goes for. "Most of that stuff was pretty accurate, and I'm sure we'll all be happy to introduce ourselves. Right?" Honenuki steps away, turning his skull towards Tokoyami and Hatsume, who both nod.

"Hatsume here. Not really in with the whole gender thing so they/them would be nice." Hatsume gives a little bow, flicking the hazel orbs that act as her eyes upwards to look at them. Their brightness stands out from the black sclera, and Izuku can see various sensors flickering around by her pupils. "I'm an android who loves my children. I got enhanced strength and senses, my mind works faster than average so my reflexes are better but Im not the best at staying focused on one thing. There's about 10 separate machines on me now. I'm not good with water in large amounts but anything mechanical I can handle."

"Honenuki. He/him is fine. I'm a gravewalker- but you don't have to worry about me guardian." Honenuki says in response to the scowl that had over taken Tokoyami's face and the angry growl from Tokoyami's shadow. "I'm here to pass, not to start violence. I won't disturb any souls- although we are a peaceful tribe regardless." There's an edge in Honenuki's voice now, and Izuku glances between him and Tokoyami, hoping their team wouldn't fall apart before they had even started. He doesn't know what a gravewalker or a guardian is, but he has the feeling they may be enemies of sorts.

"I hope you don't." Tokoyami warns, his shadow growing behind him. "The souls of the departed are not made to be brought back in shambles."

"I can assure you that I am not in 'shambles.'" Honenuki growls back, his voice soft. "And we offer beings who wish to join us a choice before they die. Would you rather us all be made into fools by breaking our promise?"

"I would rather unwilling souls be left in peace. Your kind's dark arts bring back more than your target, and we are left to clean up the mess." Tokoyami's eyes narrow, his shadow rising out of the ground. Its form is simply a raven's head with glowing yellow eyes, and clawed appendages coming out of its sides as it stares down Honenuki. Tokoyami reveals a bird like hand as he shoos it down, sighing. "But, I did not come here to make war, nor is this the time for it. Would you agree to settle any differences at a later date?" Tokoyami holds out his hand, and Izuku waits on bated breath.

"Of course. I'd rather be certified as a mage than anything." Honenuki says, taking Tokoyami's hand into his and shaking it once before letting it go. Tokoyami nods, tucking his arm back under his cloak. Izuku sighs in relief, Hatsume joining him.

"Now, I can summon skeletons if there are any around us- without disrupting their souls of course. And I can move my own bones around as I please as long as my chest is safe. Can't go around damaging my soul." Honenuki chuckles, as if he's told a joke. "But other than that, I'm not that strong."

"Tokoyami. He/him. Closest thing in human language you can call me is 'Guardian of Souls.' I'm light on my feet and good at evasion. Do not have much strength though. I can communicate with lost and misplaced spirits." Tokoyami doesn't look at Honenuki with that statement, giving the ground his firm stare instead. "I have Dark Shadow as well though."

"Dark Shadow?" Izuku questions, already guessing that it was the name to whatever creature lives in Tokoyami's shadow.

Tokoyami looks at his shadow, the raven-esque creature rising up once more. "We Guardians are assigned a familiar as a child. It is usually whatever stray soul finds us first, and then we are bonded. It is part of the reason why I look like this. But never the less Dark Shadow is quite strong, capable of physically interacting with objects, and can operate outside of my shadow. She doesn't like going out in the sunlight because it weakens her however."

"Midoriya." Izuku begins, but then Midnight announces. "30 seconds!" And Izuku starts to ramble faster.

"He/him. Completely human. I'm strong, and I have slight training in judo- a human fighting style." Izuku elaborates only after Tokoyami's confused expression surfaces. "But my magic is untrained mostly. It's a fifty-fifty chance of it working. If it does, I should be able to redirect anyone's magical energy.

"We should probably decide who's leading us though." Midoriya ends off his summary with the suggestion. Tokoyami and Hatsume stare at him like he's grown a second head, and clearly Honenuki shares their sentiments, as he asks, "You aren't leading?"

"I- um, if you all want me to l-lead I probably could." Izuku swallows, his hands fidgeting. "B-but only if you guys are, really, really, really sure."

A snap echoes through the arena, and Izuku whirls his head around to see Midnight raise her crop above her head. "Begin!"

"Of course we're sure dumb nuts. You didn't win the first trial for nothing." Hatsume rolls her eyes. "Now what are we going to do?"

"Okay-" Izuku sucks in a breath, steadying himself before scanning the field. "We need to get in a circle around the flag. Nobody's moved yet but they will soon."

"Honenuki, can you see if there are any skeletons around here we could use to guard us?"

"Sure."

"Hatsume, could set up any machines that will help defend our base?"

"On it!"

"Tokoyami, would Dark Shadow mind being an extra pair of eyes?"

"Not at all."

Izuku takes another deep breath. He can do this. It's just looking at a situation and analyzing it, he is good at that, isn't he?

An explosion sounds off in the distance, Izuku thinks he hears a shout of "Fucking Deku!"

"Guys?" Izuku mutters, his voice barely shaking. "Let's do this."

* * *

Shouto's team is winning the second round as of now. They have the purple flag, secured around a nest of other red and blue flags.

And no, it had not hurt him to see the way Midoriya's face crumpled, eyes flashing with betrayal. Shouto can't take the time to think about things like that though. He still has to secure his victory.

His team has been doing a lot of the work, if he's being honest. Yaoyorozu is with him, as well as a half-android named Iida, and a gorgon called Shiozaki. Shouto has spent most of the trial guarding their flags, save for their recent assault against Midoriya's team- and that was for the game, he has to win, he has to win, he has to win. Now he's back in their circle, standing in front of the wall of ice he's made around their flags.

"Todoroki, people from Midoriya's team are coming. I'll call back Iida." Yaoyorozu calls out to him, giving one last smack to a person's stomach with the training sword she had made, the girl crumpling to the ground.

Shouto looks to his left, and too Yaoyorozu's word, Midoriya and a bird-like creature are running towards their area.

Shouto summons his ice, the familiar pull of his magic chilling his skin even more so than it already is. Once Midoriya is close enough, Shouto sends out a wave of ice. But Midoriya dodges around the spiked barrier while the bird creature simply leaps over it.

Shouto growls, skin prickling with frost. He sends out another wave of ice to his left, where Midoriya had dodged. "Yaoyorozu!"

"On it!"

As Shouto turns though, a scream tears through the air. He flies forward, an explosion at his back, as Bakugou soars onto the ice wall surrounding their flags.

"Screw you bastards!" He shouts as he slams his hands down, runes shining as another explosion clouds the air with its smoke. Shouto coughs, readying more ice. He can't see, only hear the sounds of battle around him.

Shouto races towards where he knows their flags are, and then leaps back as a punch from Midoriya nearly connects with his face. Another explosion blows a wave of hot air over him, and he ducks around Midoriya as his gaze focuses on their flags. Bakugou is reaching for the purple one.

With Shouto's next step, a spear of ice shoots forward, wrapping around the purple flag before Bakugou can touch it.

"Fucking-" Bakugou snarls, a shadowed claw snaking up from the ground and grabbing him from behind as he does.

Something thick and muscular slams against Shouto, and he begins to freeze it on instinct. But suddenly he's up in the air with the ground acting as the sky, Midoriya grunting as he slings Shouto over his shoulder.

Shouto feels the breath get knocked out of him as he hits the ground. His vision is dark, but he can still see a figure turning to him. Heat rushes over his left side before he can stop it because someone is coming and he can't fall here- he can't- he can't- he can't -he can't.

His eyes snap open wide, catching only a glimpse of Midoriya jumping away from Shouto's outstretched hand, a hand wrapped in his old man's cursed fire. Shouto puts it out in a second, but it's one second too long. He had sworn never to use that fire, and yet the moment he's put at a disadvantage it springs up.

He's pathetic.

But he also doesn't have time to focus on that. Because Bakugou is nowhere to be seen but Shouto's ice has been broken through, most likely by the bird creature and his shadow beast that are standing near it. Midoriya is reaching for the purple flag.

Shouto gets to his feet and sprints. Iida is in the corner of his eye, but the half-android is too far away to help. Yaoyorozu is trying to get past the shadow beast, to no avail. But some of Shouto's frost has melted off his body, and he sends a wave of fresh ice towards Midoriya and the bird-like creature.

Midoriya doesn't notice the ice coming, but the bird creature does, and Shouto sees it grab a couple of their flags as the shadow beast snatches Midoriya. The bird creature jumps out of the way of the ice, Midoriya in tow, and Shouto breathes a sigh of relief when he realizes the purple flag is still there.

"30 seconds! Get back to your areas." Midnight shouts just as Shouto has frozen over their flags.

"Here!" Iida stops just in front of him, a gust of wind blowing Shouto's hair back as he does. "I have another flag for our team."

"I couldn't get past them." Shiozaki mutters as she jogs over to them. "The gargoyle knew not to look me in the eyes and wasn't affected by my snakes."

"We should be fine, since thanks to Todoroki we still have the purple flag." Yaoyorozu says, smiling at Todoroki.

"That's a wrap! Time to count scores."

Shouto doesn't pay much attention past that, more preoccupied with watching the way his left hand as it opens and closes. His moment of weakness plays back in his mind. He had been prepared to burn Midoriya with that cursed fire. What kind of monster was he?

Shouto's team wins, but he can't find it in himself to join their celebratory cheer.

* * *

The third stage of the trial is announced to be a tournament fight after Izuku and the other examinees have gotten a pitiful 20 minutes of rest. Midnight doesn't even tell the trainees in person, only waiting to bring them all out from the small room where they had all been waiting and then announce it to both them and their awaiting audience- Izuku really hates that audience, or at least he really, really dislikes them- which does nothing for his nerves.

The final trial is a tournament, a way to judge their fighting capabilities at a more critical level. Everyone from the past round participated, split into two separate brackets to make sorting the fights easier. The two that made it past all the rounds in their separate bracket would fight for the coveted first place. The one where entry into the certification program is assured.

They have only have five minutes to wait around the edge of the stadium until the stage for fights is built and the first matchups are announced.

Izuku swallows. There was no way someone like him is going to be able to make it through that, not with any magic to speak of.

"Hey, Midoriya!" Uraraka's voice calls out to him from where he leans against a wall, and Izuku jumps to his feet, already feeling his cheeks warm.

"Deku!" Kacchan's voice spikes through Izuku's joy, sending it crumpling into a fear filled abyss built on years of torment. Izuku freezes on instinct, while Uraraka sends a confused glance over his head, whispering, "Is that for you?"

Izuku nods, trying in vain to keep his head high as Kacchan finally makes it to them.

"Hey Deku," Kacchan's voice is quiet, dangerously quiet. "Why are you still here? Just so you can show me up?"

"O-of course I'm not K-Kacchan. I'm t-trying to get into Y-Yuuei." Izuku keeps his hands at his sides, fingers trembling.

"Didn't I tell you already Deku?" Kacchan snarls, and Izuku flinches back. "I'm the only one from our town that's going to make it in. So a runeless nobody like you should just stay out of the way."

"I- uh- I-" Izuku stammers out, but before he can say anything else a tiny wing wraps around Izuku's waist, gently pushing him back. He complies, feeling Uraraka's other wing rest against his back as she steps forwards.

"Hey, I don't know who you are, but there's no reason to talk to Midoriya like that." Uraraka says, firm and unyielding. "Nobody's trying to start any trouble."

"Out of my way round face. This is between me and him." Kacchan tries to step around her, but wherever he goes, she follows, keeping herself between them. Kacchan stomps a foot down, "Get the fuck out of my way already!"

"Bakugou!" Someone shouts, and Izuku nearly wilts from relief as Kacchan turns.

His relief morphs into shock as a red-haired gargoyle bowls into Kacchan, knocking both of them over. The two of them quickly turn into a ball of shouts and miniature explosions, and Izuku takes the chance to slip off into the crowd. Uraraka follows him shortly, staying for a moment to watch as another boy with bright yellow hair walks over to laugh at the two of them struggle.

Once the two of them have put sufficient distance between them and Kacchan, Uraraka stops him. "Who was that?"

"Ka- Bakugou." Izuku mumbles. "We've k-known each other since we were k-kids.

"You guys still call each other nicknames." Uraraka states, much less like a question than Izuku was hoping. "That's kind of cute. Everything else… not so much."

"K-Kacchan's always like t-that." Izuku explains. "I-It's fine."

Uraraka narrows her eyes. "Are you sure? He seems pretty…" She glances at the area they just left behind, seeing Kacchan's vague form as he yells at the gargoyle that had barreled into him. "violent."

"Y-yeah." Izuku agrees.

"I like his nickname for you though." Uraraka says, and Izuku blinks before disappointment settles in his gut. He would be considered useless in Uraraka's eyes. She is a literal angel, and here Izuku is as some runeless human. He couldn't hold a candle. "It kind of reminds me of a saying in Aevian that means 'You can do it!' It suits you."

"R-really?" Izuku does a double take, staring owlishly as Uraraka smiles.

"Are you kidding? You're one of the most determined people I've met. And that's only from a few days."

"Oh." Is all Izuku can say, staring at the ground.

"Would you mind if I call you that?" Uraraka asks. "Deku?"

Izuku pauses, feeling the ages old insult wash over his ears. It doesn't sound the same from Uraraka's mouth- not that he expected it to, well, he did but that wasn't important- it sounds more like a real nickname than an insult. So, Izuku swallows down his reservations and says "Sure."

"Okay then Deku." Uraraka says with a grin, and even as a stab of something pierces his gut at the old insult, he is glad he agreed, if only because Uraraka looks so happy to be using it.

"Examinees!" Midnight is back, standing on the stage that has appeared in the middle of the arena. "Time to hear tournament matchups!"

"Good luck to us." Uraraka says, giving Izuku a thumbs up. Izuku returns the gesture, with a quick, muttered, "Yep."

Izuku walks out onto the temporary stage for the fights, knowing nothing else besides for the fact that his opponent was named Shinsou and that he was a siren. Honestly Izuku just has to pray that Shinsou isn't fully grown. He'd read once that a fully-grown siren needs only a whisper to ensnare its prey completely, but the younger ones had other requirements. Izuku vaguely remembers the book instructing a person not to speak when in their presence, as that would trigger the mind control. Izuku will just have to hope that old book had been right.

The crowd goes oddly silent when Shinsou walks up though, and Izuku can't help but be confused.

"What's wrong?" Shinsou hisses, and Izuku turns back, opening his mouth to instinctively reply before snapping it shut. Shinsou chuckles, a half-resigned, half-wiry grin spreading over his face. "Already getting scared?"

Izuku swallows, choosing instead to record every detail of Shinsou's that he can see for the oncoming brawl.

Shinsou has on a long yet loose navy-blue robe, teal lining along the edges and up the middle, where it came together. The sleeves hang over his hands, but Izuku can still see the fingertips, as well as the webbing in between them. The robe only shows a hint of bare feet, webbed toes included.

Izuku is drawn back up to Shinsou's eyes as Midnight begins to introduce them to the crowd. Shinsou's eyes are cat like, a thin pupil resting in a yellow iris with a pale purple sclera surrounding it all. Three triangles rest under each eye, each of them a glimmering purple. Fins rest where ears would normally be, lazily expanding and contracting. His skin shines under the sunlight, its ashen tinge only highlighting his more prominent features. With an interested huff, Izuku realizes that Shinsou doesn't have a nose, just two long slits where his nose should be.

"Begin!" Midnight shouts, and Izuku's slow trickle of thoughts turns into a raging river. He narrows his eyes, tracking Shinsou's every move.

"You're human, aren't you." Shinsou chuckles. "You have it easy. No matter what happens you'll always be in the right here, and I'll always be in the wrong." Shinsou takes a step closer as he speaks.

Izuku bites his tongue to stop himself from responding. It is obvious that this was intended to get a reaction out of him, so there must be some benefit to Shinsou if Izuku answers. So, he lowers himself into a fighting stance, creeping closer, taking his time to judge how Shinsou reacts.

"What, you're going to actually fight me? Why not just use your oh so precious runes and start blowing things up? Seems to work for some humans." Shinsou tilts his head in the direction of the tunnel leading to waiting area, where the other contestants are.

Izuku inches closer, noticing how Shinsou moves his chest to face him. It's a defensive technique, one that All Might taught Izuku as well. Shinsou must have some fighting experience. Wonderful.

Shinsou sneers at Izuku his hands clenching at his sides. "Or you don't have any runes. Like anybody could see under all your clothes. Those clothes are just going to make it easier for people to beat you into the ground."

Izuku stays silent, picking up his pace. Shinsou lowers himself, still talking. "Not talking? You think you're above me? You think your above other beings? That might be the reason why you've been staying near that deformed angel and that mess of group during the flag game."

Izuku breaks out into a run, shouting, "Hey, they aren't-"

It's like a flame going out. Izuku's mind shuts down in an instant, everything going fuzzy. He can feel himself stopping, then standing up straight. He tries to move, to do something, anything, but his body is lost in the haze and Izuku can't reach across the gape.

"Walk out of the arena." Shinsou's growl rings loud and clear to Izuku's clouded ears. It rushes over him, one voice surrounded by the echo of a thousand whispers, each of them lulling him into complacency.

His body moves, no matter how Izuku fights and protests it in his mind, turning and walking away from Shinsou. His shoes scrap against the arena floor, and Izuku's thoughts are racing in a desperate attempt to break it in time. There has to be something that can snap him out of this, some trick or technique.

But there's nothing that comes up, his mind is empty, devoid of any solution. This is where he fails. Sorry All Might, but Uraraka is nothing but deformed, and his teammates had been amazing.

His skin prickles, energy pulsing underneath his veins and leaking onto his skin.

" _You are lucky I am feeling generous little one. You cannot always be this selfless. It will catch up to you one day."_ Something hisses, trickling in through the back of his hazy mind. Colors burst in front of his eyes, almost blinding him. Wind rushes in his ears, and he can feel the breeze moving through him as well.

" _I'm not that little though."_ Izuku thinks idly as his mind reawakens.

The Something chuckles, _"Only the birth of the universe precedes me. There is nothing that is not young and new to my eyes. I wager the gods would not be able to hold a candle to me."_

" _So gods are real?"_

" _If you want them to be, then perhaps they are. But that does not change the fact all of you are far too small. Small, small, small, small, small, small."_

 _Wait,_ Izuku tries to say, w _hat do you mean?_ But the colors are growing brighter and brighter, and before he can even think, he's blinking his way back into consciousness.

The murmurings of the crowd get his attention first, and he snaps his head up. Suddenly the murmurings turn into cheers, and Izuku remembers just where he is. He can feel scratches start to form over his skin, but they aren't visible to the crowd thanks to the long sleeves.

"H-how did you?" Shinsou takes a step back, frills expanding as he looks at Izuku with wide eyes. "You shouldn't have been able to-"

Izuku begins to walk forwards, and Shinsou stops, eyes narrowing. "Come on, what are you going to do? Weakling. You're pathetic. You've always been pathetic, haven't you?"

Izuku keeps his mouth shut tight. He knows better by now than to respond.

As Midoriya nears, Shinsou crouches into a fighting stance, hissing. "Do you even know how to fight? Not like you can even use your runes. They glowed up pretty nicely around your face all of a sudden though. What's going on with that?"

Izuku clenches his fists, centering himself the way All Might had showed him how to. He rushes forwards, hoping to grapple Shinsou out of the arena.

Shinsou steps out of the way last minute though, a webbed hand coming to hammer Izuku down towards the ground. Izuku bounces right up, the pain a distant blur in the heat of battle. Izuku goes for Shinsou's legs, hooking an arm around one even as Shinsou jumps away.

Shinsou topples, Izuku just barely wriggling out of the way in time. Izuku leaps to his feet, tackling Shinsou as he does the same. Izuku's arms wrap around Hitoshi's waist. Heaving, Izuku shoves Shinsou forwards, panting as his shoes dig into the floor to give him more leverage- Shinsou isn't exactly a light person, but Izuku is glad the months spent building up his muscles with All Might aren't for naught. Then Shinsou goes limp, and Izuku falters.

Shinsou sweeps Izuku's legs out from under him with a well-placed kick. Izuku feels the cold sting of the ground as he meets it. But now Shinsou has one of Izuku's arms in hand and is about to effectively trap Izuku against the ground.

Izuku flips over, risking a blow to the stomach to wriggle out of Shinsou's grip. He kicks, aiming for Shinsou's own stomach, and wincing when his feet connect with a sputtered choking noise on Shinsou's part.

Izuku jumps to his feet, gasping for air himself. Blood squelches underneath his clothes and sweat runs down his face in rivulets. The adrenaline is dwindling on the edges of nonexistence, and Izuku can already feel his muscles dragging.

Shinsou is already regaining his footing, not looking nearly as exhausted as Izuku feels. Izuku forces his legs to pump beneath him, sprinting towards Shinsou. His fist draws back, and he internally winces as it connects with Shinsou's stomach. Shinsou splutters again, taking a few steps back. His feet are at the border of the arena, and Izuku seizes his chance.

He rams into Shinsou, letting his shoulder punch against Shinsou's side. Shinsou falls backwards out of the arena, catching himself on his hands.

Well, Izuku won't say it's a noteworthy victory, but it is a victory. He stands, almost breathless as Midnight calls the match and the crowd cheers.

Izuku is still panting by the time Midnight says to go back to the waiting area. His legs are a little numb, and the blood under his clothes clings uncomfortably. He tries to keep his head high as he steps out of the arena, in honor of All Might's help if nothing else.

As he starts to walk off though, Izuku notices that Shinsou hasn't moved, glaring at the ground. Izuku backtracks, offering a hand to Shinsou. Shinsou takes one glance at Izuku's hand, and pushes himself off the ground. Izuku pulls his hand back, letting it rest tentatively in front of his stomach.

Shinsou looks at Izuku one more time then turns away, presumably to leave without saying another word, but Izuku calls out. "Shinsou, I hope we can meet again."

Shinsou turns back, grinning with curved teeth. "You shouldn't be so trusting."

Izuku's mind goes blank, the whisper underneath Shinsou's words tugging him under once again. In a moment though, he's free, and Shinsou is walking away.

"Still," Izuku continues. "It was nice meeting you."

Shinsou stares at him for a solid couple of seconds before snorting. "Sure."

He walks off, Izuku keeping the distance Shinsou had put between them a few moments ago. The air between them seems a little bit clearer than it had been though, and that's enough for Izuku.

* * *

Shouto seeks him out when the match before their match starts.

The logical part of him knows this is not a good idea, spilling his secrets to his soon to be enemy. Not if he wants to win and be free.

But this is Midoriya. And if Shouto is going to push him away and be terrible to him he might as well tell Midoriya why.

It isn't hard to spot the mop of green hair, bouncing around nervously as he chats with what appears to be an angel and the bird creature from the second trial. Shouto pushes through the crowd, narrowing his eyes at the way people skirt and fling themselves out of his way. His left hand comes into view, and his eyes narrow further, maybe they should stay away from him, with that fire.

Still, he is already behind Midoriya, and he may as well persevere.

"Midoriya," Shouto cuts in, stopping the angel from saying whatever she had been about to say. Midoriya jumps, and Shouto's shoulders fall in resigned disappointment- Midoriya should be scared of him. "can we talk? Privately."

"I- uh- sure? I don't see why not?" Midoriya chuckles nervously, his hands playing with each other in front of his abdomen. The angel is giving him a downright murderous stare, and Shouto elects to return it with his blank one.

"Good." Shouto nods, walking away to the one secluded area he had found. He hopes Midoriya is following him.

His hope is rewarded when he turns around, successfully hidden in a small alcove away from the main crowd, where sound wouldn't travel as well, and Midoriya is with him. Midoriya is hunched over slightly, looking nervously between Shouto and the floor.

"Are you afraid of me?" Shouto asks, curious, but dreading the answer.

"No- of course not- kind of- it's…" Midoriya sighs, running a hand down the length of this arm. "it's complicated. But you're still… you, right?"

"I…yes?" Shouto tilts his head at the way Midoriya's voice trembles, a leaf in the wind.

"Then its fine." Midoriya smiles, and Shouto sucks in a breath, preparing his words in advance.

"Midoriya." Todoroki looks at his left hand as Midoriya straightens, looking at Shouto expectantly. "I must win our match."

"B-"

"Please, let me finish before you say anything." Shouto clenches his fist, and Midoriya huffs slightly, but easily relents with a nod.

"I am assuming you know what forced marriages are." Midoriya nods, lips twitching downwards. "I am the result of such a marriage."

"Endeavor. That's my old man's alias." Shouto grits his teeth at Midoriya's gasp of recognition, but the boy lets him continue. "He found my mother after almost a century of search for the perfect partner. He went to the fae to turn himself human temporarily. Then he turned around and went to my mother's family, and shoved enough gold and jewels in their faces to get them to sell her off."

Todoroki growls, bile building in the back of his throat as he spits the words out. "Then he showed what he was really like. He forced her to have children to carry on his legacy. He wanted the perfect specimen to surpass All Might. Someone who could shift from human to dragon easily, have both his fire and the ice from my mother's runes."

Shouto sees the way Midoriya's eyes widen even further, eyeing the perfect split in his hair, and gives a bitter, broken chuckle. "I have- had four older siblings. I was the only 'success.' He was overjoyed when he found out; he even stopped hitting her for the first couple weeks after I shifted in my sleep. After that, he wanted nothing more than to train me, to build me up to be stronger then everyone, regardless of my age.

"My mother was brave, she held him back from me for months, by making excuses and begging. She couldn't last though." Shouto brings his hand up to touch the scar hidden beneath his bangs, tracing over the numb skin. Midoriya's eyes follow his hand.

"She's the one who poured boiling water on my face, after saying that she couldn't stand to see my scales or my left side- any part of me that looked like _him._ He didn't stand for that. He took me and left, and brought me to that cave to train me. Then he forced me to move again when he thought that I was ready to handle a 'real dragon's home.' And now he wants me to be certified.

"All he really wants is vengeance and power. But I will get certified. I'll be stronger then whoever I have to if it means escaping." Shouto takes in a breath of air, looking Midoriya dead in the eyes. "I will win our fight. Without ever touching his damned fire. I will win without ever becoming a monster like him."

"You used your fire," Midoriya states, waiting only a moment after Shouto finishes. "in the second trial."

"I was weak. I panicked. It won't happen again." Shouto snarls, and something twists in Midoriya's expression. Before Shouto can ask him about it though, Midnight shouts into the waiting area. "Todoroki and Midoriya. Take your places for the next fight kiddos."

"Todoroki." Midoriya calls out, his voice firm. "I know my reasons will never be as strong as yours. But even so," Midoriya looks up, fire blazing in his eyes, warm and bright and defiant. "I won't hand this match over to you. I will try my best to defeat you. So I can reach my goal."

A hushed silence falls over the waiting room, Midoriya's declaration ringing loud and clear whereas the rest of their conversation had been ignored and unheard.

Shouto says nothing.

* * *

Yagi slips into the alley between the stands, his illusion falling. He allows himself to finally cough, hacking up blood that flows through his fingers. His left side throbs as he reaches for a handkerchief always tucked in the hidden pocket of his robe. Wiping off as much blood from his hands as he can, he watches as the cloth turns dark red. He can still feel it, the way his runes pulse over his chest. His magic is still here in full force. It still hadn't accepted Midoriya yet; Yagi had been so sure that it would.

Yagi shakes his head, he knows better than anyone that simply losing faith so early wouldn't do anyone any good. Midoriya has time, just like Nana had given Yagi when he was given the power all those decades ago.

Footsteps sound from behind him, and its only Yagi's reflexes that save him from being discovered. His illusion swirls around him just as a familiar red-haired man steps into the alley, heat washing off of him in waves.

Yagi straightens immediately, offering his now massive arm forwards for a handshake. "Hello Todoroki, it's been a while since I've seen you in human form. How have you been?"

"Manageable." Todoroki growls, his thick yet plain brown robes settling as he paused, unmoving even as Yagi held his hand out.

"Ah," Yagi draws his hand back after a few more seconds pass, a thick air settling over the two of them. "I hope jobs haven't been too hard on you."

Todoroki grunts, crossing his arms. "You seem weaker than last time I saw you."

"Oh?" Yagi chuckles, his smile growing a little too wide. "Must be age catching up to me."

"You're already far older than any human has the right to be." Todoroki grumbles, his eyes raking over Yagi.

"I can't help it." Yagi says. "…So, why are you here? I thought you didn't care much for watching the entrance exams here."

"My son is going to get into Yuuei's certification program today." Endeavor's eyes flash to the side, as if looking for his child as they speak. "I need to be here to make sure he doesn't do anything stupid. And to take him home afterwards."

"I see." Yagi huffs, barely repressing a cough that was clawing at his throat.

"Are you still trying to teach?" Todoroki asks- well more like snapped, but Yagi can overlook that.

"Yes. Although I don't think I've gotten the hang of it quite yet."

That comment gets Yagi a snort of "I'm sure."

"But what have you been up to? Not planning to lead another war I hope." Yagi finishes with another chuckle, hoping that his jest wasn't received badly; although the way Todoroki's lip curls says otherwise.

"Please. I've learned there's no point to that, at least not yet." Yagi laughs, shoving down the snake of fear that worms its way into his stomach at Todoroki's words. Todoroki continues though, a small grin appearing on his face. "I have time to experiment. I'll be here for a few more millennia."

Yagi opens his mouth to respond, but Midnight's voice sounds, and he suddenly realizes that he has places to be.

"Sorry to leave like this, but I am a reviewer for the exam results, so I must be off." Yagi pulls out an old transporter crystal he had gotten from an old god he had rescued. The crystal was a light maroon, worn and chipped, but still working. Yagi pours some magic into it from the air, feeling a tiny nick mark itself on his chest, one to join the scars that reside there. Yagi looks up at Todoroki one last time, "I hope your son does well."

"He will." Todoroki's low growl resounds in Yagi's ears, even as space warps around him and he finds himself in the small booth resting above the stands, where seven teachers of various subjects blink at him. Then the familiar wind rushes around him as his form shrinks, and when the magic clears he coughs.

"Sorry about that." Yagi says, the other teachers giving him sympathetic looks or simply nodding. Hizashi

Aizawa spares Yagi a glance as he sits down. The spikes on his tail are rattling quietly, shifting around almost excitedly. On Yagi's left, Ishiyama raises a brown hand, a few loose grains of dirt falling from his fingers. Ishiyama points to where young Midoriya is walking out of the waiting area, moving to the steps that lead to the arena stage.

"This is going to be an interesting fight. We might be able to see more of his runes." Beady eyes, surrounded by green moss, look down inquisitively at Yagi's successor.

"If he has any." Aizawa mutters, and Yagi tenses. Out of everyone here, even Snipe, Aizawa has the sharpest eye, as well as the most critical. And now he is looking at young Midoriya with a look dangerously close to disdain.

"You gotta give the kid some credit." Hizashi chides Aizawa, wagging a finger. "He made it this far hardly using his runes, which is pretty impressive if you ask me. I'm more surprised you're not all over that, with you whole 'everyone relies too much on magic' ideology." Hizashi pokes at Aizawa's side, and Yagi is honestly surprised that Hizashi hasn't gotten a finger broken by this point, with the murderous glare coming from the darker haired man.

"He's too impulsive. He has well thought out plans and a quick intuition but he's too emotional, too open. That will get him killed before anything. It's what got him controlled by Hitoshi." Aizawa lays out, ruby eyes narrowing as his teeth grit.

Hizashi hums, but doesn't disagree directly. Yagi turns his gaze back out to the arena, and lets out a shaky sigh. Midoriya will have to do his best during this fight if he wants a real chance at success.

* * *

Izuku is trembling when he walks onto the arena stage this time. It is from fear in part, but Izuku can't quite say fear was the correct name for it either.

Izuku looks down at his sleeves, where now healed cuts hide underneath. "Look, I know you can hear me. Please, please, please work with me for this match. I need to do this."

He can feel it shifting around him, impressionistic and faint, but very much there. "Please." Izuku repeats, reduced to a hushed whisper.

" _You truly want to be a hero."_ Wind rushes through him as Something speaks, words brushing against the edges of his mind. _"You know if you succeed you will lose. And lower your own chances of being accepted. Also the injuries you will receive are numerous."_

"I just want to help. It doesn't matter what happens after that." Izuku admits, fingers clenching at his sides as Todoroki walks onto stage. There's a distant pain in his eyes still, from when Izuku had seen him during his first fight, like he isn't really there. Todoroki is hurt, hurt deeper than Izuku can reach. But that doesn't stop his heart from trying anyways.

" _Selflessness."_ Something mutters. _"A trait rare in the heart and damaging to the mind. I told you before that you cannot afford to always be selfless. You won't stop reaching out though."_ Something pauses, and Izuku fears the worst. _"It is almost too perfect to be true. You want to be a hero little one? I will grant you my blessing. I deem you worthy. Now go and prove that this is no mistake."_

His skin vibrates almost, and Izuku can feel each rune- his arms, his hands, his face, his back, his legs- he can feel them all as they appear, each addition filling him with a new wave of strength. The feeling fades slightly after the runes stop forming, but he can still feel the power, resting underneath his skin, itching, scratching, fighting.

When Todoroki walks onto the stage, stoic and distant, Izuku refuses to take his eyes away from his. Todoroki's eyes linger on the newly formed runes on his face, but other than that there is no reaction.

The instant Midnight's whip comes down, ice barrels towards him. Izuku reaches back down for the magic, where it had just flowed underneath his fingertips, and comes up empty.

He leaps left, ice scraping past his thigh. This can't be right. All Might said after the runes had accepted him he should be able to use them.

So why can't he?

Ice is circling around him, and too later he realizes that Todoroki has made a barrier around him, leaving only the front area open for more ice to enter. Todoroki hasn't moved, staring at Izuku.

"Sorry." With only that, another wave of ice speeds straight towards him. Izuku doesn't have anywhere to dodge, ice on every side.

Is this really how goes out? Failing without ever getting a chance to use the runes and responsibility graciously bestowed on him?

Memories flash before his eyes as the ice races closer: scorched letters leaving him with nothing but spider threads of his only real friend, All Might holding out his hand to someone as weak as Izuku despite having the option to choose somebody more worthy, bright scales and a hint of a smile, sunlight dappling over him as he sits in the roots of their tree-

The ice is bearing down on him, almost at his feet. But Izuku finally understands, from All Might's first explanation, to what the Something told him. He reaches for magic again, except this time, he reaches not inwards, but outwards.

His eyes slide shut before he can stop them, but now he can see bright lines and pools of light. Magic sprinkles the air around him, but he seeks out the pale haze that defines Todoroki's magic. It shines brightly, coursing throughout Todoroki's body and extending into his ice. Izuku latches onto it, his own magic rising as he does. He wills that magic to move, to turn away from him.

Whatever happens next, Izuku doesn't know. All he can register is the searing agony that has sliced itself into his arm, far worse than any cuts he had received before. The crowd's cheers draw him back, and he opens his eyes.

Todoroki's ice is skewered to Izuku's right, narrowly avoiding him. The crowd is still roaring, but all Izuku can see is the way Todoroki's eyes have blown wide.

"Thank you." Izuku says, and he means it. His magic is like their tree, and he had been trying to reach into the stump when he really needed to be reaching outwards, tapping his roots into the magic around him. He wouldn't have realized it so quickly had it not been for their fight, for the remembrance of the tree they shared.

Still, his arm is consumed with a shooting pain, and Todoroki is already preparing another wave of ice. Izuku feels his eyes close once more as he reaches, trying to divert Todoroki's magic the moment it leaves his body.

He hears a crash just as another slash opens itself along the same arm. When he can finally crack open his eyes, the ring of ice that had surrounded him was pierced, cut through by another spear of ice Izuku assumes was the piece he had tried to send to the other side of the arena.

Todoroki snarls, another wall of ice crashing towards Izuku. Izuku closes his eyes, but he realizes that Todoroki has sent out another wave of ice simultaneously, and Izuku can't redirect them both at the same time. Izuku leaps blindly as he sends the first into the far side of the stands, clumsily, and painfully rolling to a stop. Ice presses against his skin before he can stop the second wave, and the burn of the sudden chill is nothing compared to the two new cuts making their way into his flesh.

Izuku rises to his feet, opening his eyes for a second, only to close them as he redirects more ice away from him. He must pause for a moment, catching his breath. He keeps his eyes close, waiting for Todoroki to strike again.

Footsteps sound, smothered by a rush of ice. Izuku's eyes fly open as he realizes Todoroki is charging at him, ice sliding underfoot as he does.

Izuku readies himself for a more hand to hand fight, even as his arm ripples with pain- he's pretty sure even the cuts from earlier have opened up. But Todoroki is slower now, frost lacing the right side of his body.

Izuku dodges the small spike of ice sent out when Todoroki slides through the old barrier of ice. Midoriya can't afford to use his newfound power carelessly, not when he has to close his eyes every time, and certainly not when it's injuring him this much.

Todoroki is only a few steps away, and Izuku moves the moment Todoroki next lifts a foot. Izuku lunges, fist slamming into Todoroki's stomach. Too late, he realizes he just used his injured arm. Even as Todoroki splutters, Izuku must grit his teeth as the agony spikes through him.

"You're slowing down Todoroki." Izuku huffs out, holding his injured arm. "Couldn't you use your fire to melt the frost on your right side?"

"I don't need it." Todoroki slams his foot into the ground, ice spiking towards Izuku. Izuku closes his eyes before he remembers that he shouldn't be using his magic that freely. He directs Todoroki's ice to the left, feeling his other arm slash open as he does.

Izuku lets both his injured arms hang loosely from his side, spitting out, "Why? So you can mock the rest of us?"

"I'm not mocking anybody." Todoroki puffs out an icy breath, one that fades into the air. His pupils have thinned into slits by this point, and Izuku can see a faint outline of scales starting to line Todoroki's cheeks and arms. Ice builds up at Todoroki's feet, launching him up into the air above Izuku.

Izuku darts backwards, narrowly avoiding the ice that shoots from Todoroki's hand as he lands on the ground. But the ice races for him, arcing through the air and snagging both his leg and arm.

Izuku closes his eyes, but the ice that's already frozen won't budge, and Todoroki is charging at him anyways- Izuku can hear it. He knows he has to get out of this ice- maybe if he pulled hard enough or somehow got his magic to move the already frozen ice or just broke free somehow because he can't stop here he still has to help-

Izuku feels power pour into him, and suddenly he can pull his arm free like it was trapped in nothing but some loose dirt. His leg slips out just as easily, leaving him time to face Todoroki and send a punch forward.

The punch doesn't land- but thank heavens it doesn't- because a maelstrom of wind follows the motion, blowing Todoroki clear to the other side of the arena. Todoroki only avoids getting thrown out of bounds by a hasty ice block erected behind him when he first touched the ground.

Before Izuku can focus on what he's going to do next, he is almost forced to his knees as both his arms open up in new pain. Even his fingers are affected, tiny cuts littering his bare hands.

Izuku sucks in a breath and grits through it. He still has a match to fight, pain or no pain. Todoroki is already back on his feet, staring down Izuku from a distance. Izuku won't wait, charging forwards as fast as he could- which is pretty slow considering his arms no longer want to move. Todoroki rushes to meet him.

Izuku ducks under the punch, only to feel ice race up the side of one arm as he punches in counterattack. Todoroki stumbles back, leaving Izuku gasping.

"Come on." Izuku pants. "What are you doing?"

"Fighting." Todoroki grunts as he steadies himself, and Izuku scoffs.

"You've haven't even touched me, Todoroki. You cannot say you're fighting when you're just screwing around."

Todoroki says nothing, swiping an arm to send a wave of ice to Izuku. Izuku redirects it before charging again, arms now almost dead at his sides. He can't feel the pain anymore, it's sting a faint afterburner to the fight in front of him.

This time Todoroki tries a kick, and it lands solidly on Izuku's shoulder as Izuku twists before sweeping Todoroki's legs out from under him.

"I'm sorry, Todoroki." Izuku says. "I'm sorry I didn't notice the pain you were going through when we met. I'm sorry I couldn't do more to help you then. And I can't understand your history, or say that my own past comes anywhere close to yours. But none of that means this is what you should be doing."

"What- am I- doing?" Todoroki's says in between blue tinged breaths as he stands.

"Do you know how hard everyone here has worked just to master their abilities? Do you know how hard _I_ worked?" Izuku bends down, his emotions swirling up to the surface even stronger than before. "Yet you come here and want to win without even using your full strength. Do you know how insulting that is to everyone? Do you know how insulting it is to you?"

"I will not use his fire." Todoroki snaps back, eyes flashing as his pupils turn dragon-like for a moment.

"It's your magic!" Izuku screams, hands clenching. "No one owns the magic you use. It's never been his fire. It's only yours, yours and no one else's! You don't have to hold yourself back because of him."

Todoroki is frozen, staring into the distance wordlessly, and Izuku charges forwards once more. He is almost close enough to land another punch when a wave of heat shoves him back.

Opening his eyes, Izuku sees his goal blossom into light before him.

* * *

Shouto's blood is racing, pumping through his body as his heart thumps in his chest. Flames dance over his left side, the light almost blinding his scarred eye.

He can feel himself smiling, with all his teeth. Although it feels more like he's baring his teeth- but he can't help it.

He's…happy. Not just at peace for the moment or content, he is happy, really and truly happy.

He had forgotten what that felt like.

" _Shouto." His mother calls. Shouto stops scampering after the lizard, stubby claws digging into the grass as he races back towards her voice. His wings flare out as he stumbles into a stop, but their tiny span doesn't do much, and he falls onto his face just as he reaches his mother's feet._

 _Shouto jumps up, unfazed, chirping and clacking up at his mother- the closest he could get to speech._

" _Shouto." His mother chuckles. "Come back to me."_

 _Shouto lowers his head stubbornly, grumbling at the familiar phrase. Still, he shakes, obediently drawing back his scales wings to reveal a toddler's soft skin._

 _Shouto coos, newly human hands reaching up towards his mother._

" _There you go." His mother hums, lifting him up into her arms. "Now we can get some clothes on you. You've got to stop chasing the poor things in the yard- especially with your father."_

 _Shouto can pay her no mind, already captivated by her white hair, watching how it falls through his fingers._

 _Shouto writhes on the ground- the same place he had once chased lizards and frolicked- ice spiking out of his scales in an attempt to soothe the burns._

" _Stop it!" Hands near him, but he's far too cold to touch at the moment. His mother's voice draws him back to the situation, and he inches towards her, away from the harsh glare and the searing hands that came from man yet not quite man called father. "He's too young. He's only five."_

" _That's five years wasted." His father growls. "Get out of the way already."_

 _Shouto flinches as his mother cries out, the slap echoing in his mind. Shouto turns, trying to shift his scales to flesh, but his father pins him down before he can._

" _You're a dragon Shouto. You don't need that pitiful form anymore. And once you're strong enough to stand it, I'll be free of it as well."_

" _I- I can't"- His mother is talking to his older sister in their kitchen, Shouto peeking in from behind the entry way. He'd been woken up by nightmares, and was hoping to try and sleep with his mother if father wasn't there. "you- you have to take care of him Fuyumi."_

" _What's wrong?" Fuyumi asks, the light blue scales under her eyes glimmering in the firelight. Shouto sees his mother shudder, hands clenching at her dress. The fire crackles behind her, and Shouto can see a pot brewing over it._

" _I shouldn't raise him. His scales- his left side- I- I can't look at them" His mother shudders again, and something in Shouto grows cold and scared. "I don't understand, how can- how can I hate my own son? B-but his face, the shifting; sometimes Shouto looks just like him. He's human but not, and I can hardly stand it anymore."_

" _M-mom?" Shouto dares to ask. Stepping into the kitchen. His mother doesn't seem to hear him, looking at the pot. He slides closer, hoping to maybe ask her for a hug and try and comfort her._

" _Mom?" He repeats, and then all he knows his pain. Pain and pain and pain and pain and more pain. Spreading across his face and sinking into his skin. He's screaming- someone's screaming, another is crying- footsteps are stomping- and the pain is getting worse and worse and worse._

" _You stupid woman!" Hands pick him up, singing him with heat. He transforms on reflex, the pain, finally, finally lessening. He can't stop his panicked squawks- still too young to make words with his elongated snout- struggling in the iron grip that held him._

 _The next thing he knows is that he is outside, the night air stabbing his eye with more pain, Shouto cries out, only to be hushed. He's sat on the ground rather gently, its unusual but Shouto can't concentrate on that, because something his moving, shifting in the air around him and growing. Heat washes over him, accompanied by his father's scent stronger than Shouto's ever smelled it. Shouto scrambles back blindly, his eyes still screwed shut against the agony._

 _Jaws close around his midsection, and Shouto's instincts tell him to go limp before the fear can even hit him. He does, his eye throbbing as the wind begins to pick up._

 _He's moving up- the only thing he can tell by this point, his body is begging for release, for him to slip into sleep at last. Before he blacks out completely, he can hear Fuyumi shouting at him._

" _Shouto!"_

Now Shouto stands tall, the words "It's your magic" circling through his system and adding fuel to his blaze. He looks at Midoriya, seeing the cuts on his hands and the way he labors for every breath.

Faintly, he can hear Endeavor shouting from the crowd, going on about how that was his son, and how Shouto had come to his senses, but for once, Shouto completely, utterly, just didn't care. He keeps his gaze on Midoriya and his heart consumed with the sheer cathartic of releasing his fire at long last.

"You're smiling." Shouto remarks, and Midoriya looks surprised at the comment, as if he hadn't realized it before Shouto pointed it out. Shouto's own grin somehow grows wider as his flames pulse outwards. "You know that you can't win now, right?"

"I know." Midoriya huffs, his smile softening slightly. "But at least now you're giving me a real fight."

"Helping your enemy?" Shouto crouches, letting ice gather on his right side. "Which one of us is mocking the other now?"

Midoriya doesn't respond with words, also crouching down into a fighting position. The runes Shouto can see start to glow- he doesn't know why or how they showed up on Izuku, considering they weren't there when they were talking, but Shouto didn't particularly care. What happens to Izuku now is none of his business. Wind starts to circle around Midoriya, like it had when Midoriya broke out of his ice. Music hangs around the edge of Shouto's ears, chanting in some unrecognizable language.

Shouto responds in kind, ice and fire extending outwards, building and building and building, until he can't see anything else.

"You can't blame me for this." Shouto reminds Midoriya as his ice shoots forward, his fire drawing back to strike next.

But with Midoriya's grin, Shouto already knows Midoriya isn't blaming him for anything. He isn't quite sure if he wants Izuku to or not.

Still, as Midoriya springs towards him and the world starts to glow brighter with the strength of his flames, Shouto can't stop his own smile.

* * *

Izuku nearly dies apparently, after the smoke cleared from their final attacks. Most the deeper gashes lining his arms reached bone or at least the deeper layers of muscle. And apparently the same could be said for the cuts on his legs, although there were less on them than there were his arms.

Blood loss is what nearly did him in, that had been what Recovery Girl- Izuku had been shocked to find out that she was here for the examinations- said, clucking her tongue at him all the while. Izuku thinks he would have realized it if he was bleeding out, but then again, considering how quickly the pain had become an afterthought, maybe not.

"You cannot use this magic so freely. It takes just as much as it gives, and until you can work out that balance in your favor I would actually try and ban you from using it more than a few times."

Izuku looks away, taking in the temporary tent he is set up in, magical tools and herbs surrounding him, the entire atmosphere drenched in magic.

"Midoriya." Recovery Girl snaps, firm but not cruel, and Izuku forces himself to look in her aged yet sharp eyes. "Talk to him about what happened back there. He knows those runes better than anyone alive."

"I'll try." Izuku says, giving a weak smile, a wave of sudden fatigue hitting him. He sinks further into the blankets he is resting on, relishing in the comfort they provide after the day's events.

"Please do so." Recovery Girls says, sighing slightly. "Although," Her hand ghosts over his now bare arms, where new runes lay. "I must say the runes fit you well. They took a far different direction on you then they did him."

"I thought he didn't have any runes when I first met him. I think I wrote about how he was probably related to the fae." Izuku chuckles with his admission, Recovery Girl joining him.

"Well I can say you were wrong there. He's human through and through." Recovery Girl looks off to the distance, gaze softening. "His runes just gathered all around his heart. Might explain why it was always too big for him."

"I don't think my heart has ever been that big." A familiar voice rumbles from the tent entrance, more serious than Izuku thinks he's ever heard it, and any sense of tiredness immediately vanishes as Izuku springs upwards. Recovery Girl pushes him down before he can sit up. All Might comes and sits down beside Izuku.

"Nonsense." Recovery Girl shakes her head, moving over slightly to give All Might room. His real form may be thin, but it certainly wasn't small.

"Regardless," All Might purposefully ignores the way Recovery Girl rolls her eyes, looking at Izuku. "I'm glad to see you're doing well. You gave everyone quite a scare after that last match."

"Ah," Izuku smiles. "sorry about that."

"I can't say I believe you young Midoriya." All Might says, and Izuku's smile falters a tiny bit. All Might tilts towards Recovery Girl. "Would you mind giving us a moment?"

"Not at all." Recovery Girl stands, giving Izuku one last pointed look before walking out.

"You don't have to make excuses to me. But please be honest." All Might smiles, a sad, soft thing, and a little bit of Izuku crumbles away at the sight. "You knew Young Todoroki before this, correct?"

"I-I- yes." Izuku says, looking off to the side once more. "He lived near my village when I was about 10. I mean, it was only for a couple months- really not that long. I never really knew that much about him until today."

"You went out there to try and save him." All Might says, not as a question, but as a fact.

Izuku swallows, nodding. His fingers clench at the blankets. He had failed All Might, and he didn't even regret it. What kind of successor did that make him?

A pitiful one, that's what.

"Now I know why the runes chose to activate when they did." Izuku's eyes fly open, staring at All Might in shock. What was he talking about?

"They choose those they think are worthy. And putting yourself on the line to help somebody else is about as heroic as you can get." All Might puts a hand in Izuku's hair, and Izuku finds himself leaning into the touch before he realizes it. "But you can't hurt yourself beyond repair. You have to know how to fight for others and for yourself."

But Izuku is shaking, trembling under the weight of the tears that are building up and streaming down his cheeks. He can't get any words out, but All Might seems to understand, simply talking in hushed tones as he rubs Izuku's back.

Izuku cries his eyes out, unable to stop himself until his body has no more tears to shed. Maybe it's leftover from his fight with Todoroki, built up stress and joy at trying to get Todoroki to use his flames. Maybe it's just from hearing All Might say what Izuku did was right, the words rushing over his insecurities and making them quiet down, filling him with hope that every chance wasn't lost.

Eventually Izuku's eyes start to close, a sudden wave of exhaustion crashing into him. He yawns, struggling to keep his eyes open.

"Just rest young Midoriya. We can talk later." All Might's voice is the last thing he hears before he slips off into unconsciousness' gentle grasp.

All Might sighs as young Midoriya fully relaxes, the child needed all rest he could get after that. Still, he turns around expectantly to Shuzenji, who doesn't look at all surprised by the development.

"He'll sleep easier now that he's talked to you." She says, grinning slyly. "It was better than waiting for him to give into his body's needs."

"That was still a sneaky move."

"And you can tell me with a straight face that he would have wanted to sleep all on his own?"

"…I suppose you have a point there."

* * *

Something in Shouto is brittle, broken in a way where it doesn't really feel broken, yet the shattered feeling remains. His chest is empty, yet hums with newfound energy. Fire dances beneath his skin, awaiting another chance for release, but it pricks at him as it does, stinging and breaking him all the more.

Midoriya is injured, so injured he couldn't even stand after the smoke had cleared. That Shouto knows is his fault. Midoriya shouldn't have gone that far, not for someone like Shouto's sake.

But he has, and now Shouto is left, clueless as to what comes next.

Clouds enshroud his mind, and he sits in the haze. The final brawl of the tournament, him against Bakugou- someone he is halfway sure is the "Kacchan" Midoriya spoke of years ago- can't really be called a fight. Shouto moves through tar, only doing what has worked before against his other opponents.

None of it works against Bakugou though. So it is only inevitable that Shouto is blasted outside of the arena boundaries. The crowds around them are making an absurd amount of noise- probably, Shouto can only half hear it, but still, it registers louder than anything else he's heard in a while.

Bakugou looks angry at him, nearly leaping off the stage to go continue the fight. Midnight is in his way before he can get close, the boy promptly falling asleep as her tail snakes around to wrap around his waist. The tail stops him from falling to the ground as Midnight declares the winner.

Todoroki just looks at the ice around him, and wonders what he should be doing now.

He's hardly there for the medal ceremony, accepting the small medal with downward eyes. It hangs heavy on his neck, and he looks in the crowd of examinees, searching for the boy who really should be getting this medal.

He doesn't see him.

They tell the examinees that the results will be back in a month, and that someone will be sent to them with word of acceptance or denial from Yuuei's prized program.

It doesn't feel as important now.

* * *

Izuku misses the rest of the fights, due to his injuries. He ends up sleeping for a solid 12 hours, and only wakes up when the moon is hanging high in the sky, and the exam is long over. Recovery Girl is there to greet him with a smile and another stern lecture before checking his bandages and sending him back to the examinee building.

Izuku walks with little fear even when it's nearly pitch black out, knowing the protective barrier surrounding the entire perimeter is said to have never been broken through. If he keeps his ears open, and his gaze flitting about just in case something was waiting in the shadows, then that was only his business.

It only takes a few minutes until the dorm building is in sight, a single lantern at the entrance still glowing brightly. As Izuku goes to open the door though, something rushes past his face, nearly nicking his cheek. A barbed tail snakes out from the shadows, wrapping around Izuku before he can move. The thin spines on the tail rustle, and Izuku can hear something moving, out of sight. Then a pair of red eyes snaps into view, and Izuku jumps into a fighting stance, the initial shock finally waning.

"Oh. It's just you." A deep, crackly, but mostly monotone and bored voice grumbles. The tail draws back slowly, and Izuku has to blink as the man steps into the light.

The first thing that pops out is the brown poncho-like thing man is wearing, decorated with bright yellow and beige stripes. The second thing is the fact that the 'man,' in fact, has six arms, each of them with thin claws on the end instead of fingertips. His undershirt has long black sleeves covering the topmost pair of arms, while the other four arms poke out through holes lining the sides of the shirt, making for three arms on each side. His skin is a pale gray, from what Izuku can see. He is wearing loose black pants, animalistic feet poking out from the edges. His tail wraps itself around his waist like a belt before snaking up to also become a loose scarf, the spiked end hanging off his shoulder.

"Recovery Girl cleared you?" The demon- probably? Izuku was halfway sure by this point- asks, his black sclera only strengthening the glare given by his ruby irises.

"Y-yes, I was just coming back." Izuku swallows as the demon looks over him again, scraggy black hair shifting as he tilts his head. His curved horns glint under the lantern's light; the light which also serves to outline just how tall he is, almost three times Izuku's height.

"Was today your first time using your runes?" The demon prompts, and Izuku looks at the ground to avoid his glare.

"Uh, yeah. I was a bit of a- um, late bloomer." Izuku manages to get the lie out well enough, and the demon simply sighs.

"I'm not sure why you think you can save anyone while injuring yourself twice as bad in the process." The demon notes, and Izuku flinches, hands curling into fists. "You won't be of use to anyone when you're dead."

With that the demon turns, crouching down as if to jump away, but Izuku can't help the question lingering in his mind since getting a full look at the demon. "Aren't you Eraserhead? The Midnight Demon?"

The demon snorts, turning his head to give Izuku a smirk. "Call me Aizawa."

With that, Aizawa jumps away, towards the top of the dorm building. Izuku stares after him for a few moments before shaking his head and heading inside himself.

He tiptoes around the beds laid out in the hall, praying that he doesn't wake anybody. By the time he gets to his section, his thoughts are already circling Aizawa's words, recoiling from the truth of them.

"Deku?" Uraraka whispers, nearly making Izuku jump out of his skin. She's laying across the room, tucked into a corner where there is room for her wings to stretch. She is sitting up, moonlight glinting off her hair and feathers. "Are you okay? Did Recovery Girl just let you out?"

Izuku looks around, making sure no one had been awoken, before sneaking over to. She has on a loose robe that stretches down to her ankles, wings half-unfurled at her sides as she sits up.

Izuku isn't sure if it's from his still slightly groggy state, or from the way Uraraka looks utterly drained, but for once he doesn't stumble over his own words. "I'm fine, perfectly healthy. Recovery Girl cleared me a few minutes ago."

"Oh, thank the stars you're alright. I thought something terrible might happen. You looked dead after your fight with Todoroki."

"I heard." Izuku mumbles, ducking his head. He turns to look at Uraraka again though. "How did the rest of the trial go?"

Uraraka's face is the one that pales this time, and she gulps. "It went...good, I guess."

Izuku tilts his head, noticing the way Uraraka's smile has gotten wobbly, her wings drooping low. She sniffles slightly, and Izuku's hands start to fidget on his lap as she continues, unsure of how to comfort her.

"I got paired with the Kacchan guy that bothered you. He was a great fighter." Uraraka gazes at the ground, voice dropping until it was almost unintelligible even to Izuku. "He was a really great fighter. No matter what I tried, he was just...better."

Izuku knows how she feels, somewhat, to be chasing after Kacchan's unreachable shadow, but he doesn't know what to say that won't sound redundant or hypocritical.

Uraraka keeps charging forwards though, wiping her eyes quickly. "But I nearly got him at the end. If I had just been able to fly faster, I might have been able to reach him." She looks back at her uneven wings, the feathers ruffling slightly.

"I- I'm sorry." Izuku says. "I wasn't there, but I'm sure you did your best."

"I wasn't even close." Uraraka hisses, blinking at her own words. "Sorry. I didn't mean to be rude I just- I just…"

"It's fine Uraraka." Izuku reassures her. "I know how you feel."

"I don't want to go back home." Uraraka admits, her arms curling around her knees, her wings drawing up to cover her. "My parents are going to be so disappointed."

"They shouldn't be mad at you just for failing the exam, not when the passing rate is so low in the first place. You made it all the way to the third round of the tournament. That has to count for something." Izuku tries to sound positive, even as his own stomach squirms with the thought of telling his mother what happened to him. He doesn't regret it, but he already regrets the look on his mum's face that is sure to appear when he starts talking. "And all you can do is work harder to keep improving, right?"

"Yeah," Uraraka sighs softly. "there's a lot I need to work on."

"I- um-" Izuku pauses, his throat suddenly dry and his tongue barely motile. "Do you maybe w-want to come running with me tomorrow? B-before the carriages leave of course because we can't miss them and besides on of the staff would catch up anyways if we were about to leave. The might even have temporary tracking spells on us-" Izuku catches himself just before he would have dived headfirst into a mumbling storm.

Uraraka has lifted her head from her knees though, and is- giggling? Izuku stares at her, bewildered, as her face cracks into a smile, this one small, but far more genuine than her earlier ones had been. Izuku is almost surprised he hadn't been able to tell the difference between the two immediately, with how much happier this smile is.

"That sounds great." Uraraka says, and all Izuku can do is nod like an idiot in response. He wasn't prepared for her to agree so easily. Uraraka looks around, and suddenly looks a little sheepish. "We should probably get to sleep now though. I heard the headmaster would be patrolling here to make sure the examinees weren't doing anything stupid. And besides, you need some sleep."

"O-okay. S-see you tomorrow?" Izuku hates how his voice makes it into a question, and he half-expects Uraraka to wave him off from that one line alone.

Instead she only nods, shooing him off of her sleeping bag with a chirp of, "Yep. Just make sure you wake me up."

Izuku nods again before weaving his way back to his sleeping bag. It takes him a while, considering he doesn't remember where his stuff is, but thankfully the bright yellow of his sack draws his attention before too much time has passed.

By the time Izuku is settled on the floor, his eyes are already sliding shut. He slips into sleep far more easily than he expected, peaceful black washing over his conscious.

* * *

Endeavor doesn't bother to let Shouto take the carriages back. Simply walking to an isolated path outside of the city, he sets up camp, telling Shouto he has three days to figure out how to transform back into a dragon or else.

Shouto doesn't need much to imagine what the "else" would be. In all honesty, he's more surprised he's being let off so easily for getting in second place.

Shouto doesn't find himself thinking about that either though, not as much as he just finds his mind blank. By the end of the first day he has just about memorized the curves of the bark on an oak tree.

Endeavor rages, but the words come in through a sheet of cotton. Even the smack he gets for his silence barely registers.

The second day, Shouto's head is a little clearer, but still convoluted with memories from the exam.

He stares down at his left hand, watching as flames curl to life above his palm. He twists his hand, watching as the flames contort with the motion.

Somehow, they aren't as ugly as he remembers.

The third day, Shouto goes to a clearing, closes his eyes, and recalls Pipers advice. He reaches inside himself, and tries to find the part of him that feels like a dragon. The part that's filled with scales and claws and wings with the heart encased by ice.

It takes him hours. Hours of questioning who he is, and if the difference between humans and dragons was ever as big as it had been made out to be.

No; that is the obvious answer, but also yes. Shouto doesn't know.

It's only when he reimagines the sky as the sun painted its portrait of the sun, the ground drifting underneath him as he flies in his own free time, the wind guiding him and brushing against his claws, that he finally begins to feel something within himself move.

Wings erupt from his back first, peeling through the flimsy fibers of his clothes. His torso is next, twisting and contorting into strange proportions as it expands. His limbs extend, the joints rotating as clawed talons touch the ground. The familiar weight of his tail balances him just in time, as his neck is expanding forwards along with his jaw. His hair shrinks, only to be replaced with his horns.

He is gasping for air by the time it is over with, but Endeavor has waited long enough, and forces the fae enchantment to fade the moment Shouto is done. Shouto turns away from Endeavor's transformation, the faint nausea in his own stomach enough for him.

Before they take off, Shouto notes that dragons aren't permitted to fly this close to the capital city.

"It doesn't matter since it's me. I'm a hero to them. The laws already don't apply." Endeavor growls, tail lashing. "They'll recognize me in an instant and let it slide. They always do now."

Shouto hums in noncommittal agreement. He doesn't have reason to doubt Endeavor's words, considering how often his name had been thrown around during the examinations alone.

As the ground slips away from him, Shouto slips into his usual position behind Endeavor, idly watching the fields below him.

It's only when they reach the border, the one separating his home with Midoriya to the one in the Dragonlands, that Shouto's eyes widen.

Almost instinctively, his gaze finds the unmistakable orange leaves of that tree- their tree.

Midoriya's words filter through his mind for what must have been the thousandth time since their brawl. Green hair and eyes wild with determination as he throws away his chance at winning just to show Shouto that maybe- maybe- maybe, his father doesn't control the fire that pulses inside him.

It's only then, hovering above his old cave, that Shouto truly learns what it is to fall.

* * *

 **If you read closely, you can see the exact parts where I just gave up and bullshitted my way through it.**

 **Okay so my tumblr is maebewejustexist you can follow for various art stuff relating to bnha and this au since I draw my own fanart I'm that desperate.**

 **Here is an old picture of Todoroki and Deku:** **post/167001628122/last-week-of-inktober-none-of-these-follow-any-of?is_related_post=1**

 **Another one of them i love them too much:** **post/169405435382/i-havent-drawn-on-my-tablet-in-far-to-long-and?is_related_post=1**

 **Aizawa:** **post/169904354822/aizawas-design-from-my-fantasy-fic-to-eyes-of?is_related_post=1**

 **Endeavor:** **post/167769464917/endeavor-as-a-dragon-ft-my-experimenting-with?is_related_post=1**

 **Kirishima:** **post/170472825282/kirishima-from-my-fic-to-eyes-of-magic-to-soul-of?is_related_post=1**

 **Ochako: post/172150938592/a-picture-of-my-fantasy-ochako-to-celebrate-the**

 **Another thing, the characters of Lorelle, Syr, and Piper are not my own, they belong to slickandsolangelic and lyrikur and I got permission to use them and that is also why they are all so amazing. I would follow them because they're both amazing people and they have amazing art.**

 **Have anything to ask feel free or just roast my writing I like both equally although I also crave validation.**


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